Crispiano Sustainability Festival

A festival for the 2030 Agenda in the heart of Puglia

The Crispiano Sustainability Festival was created to bring major sustainable development themes to a community that has made them its true vocation. Organized by the People Agency APS association, a member of ASviS (Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development), in close collaboration with the Municipality of Crispiano, the festival takes place every May in the so-called City of 100 Masserie, in the province of Taranto, in the heart of Puglia.

Crispiano was the first municipality in Puglia to join the Sustainable Municipalities Network, and the festival serves as its flagship event: four days where the Town Hall Council Chamber, the "C. Natale" Civic Library, and various city spaces become hubs for discussion on the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

A dense and multidisciplinary program

The festival is more than just a series of conferences: it is a journey that intertwines institutional talks, scientific workshops, round tables, book presentations, documentaries, sports, and artistic performances. Each day addresses a range of different themes, from health to legality, circular economy to gender equality, and the protection of the local landscape and archaeological heritage.

• Institutional talks and panels with local administrators, representatives of the Puglia Region, and national guests;
• Workshops in collaboration with the "Aldo Moro" University of Bari and local schools;
• Debates on youth, business, justice, and the environment;
• Shows and performances to close the evenings, including the "2030 Agenda Night".

Youth engagement and local territory

One of the event's hallmarks is the strong involvement of young people, who are called upon to be "guardians" of their territory through initiatives like the Manifesto of the Young Guardians of Crispiano. Sustainability is presented not as an abstract concept but as a concrete practice, rooted in the agricultural and landscape history of the masserie (fortified farmhouses) that surround the town.

The festival also dedicates significant space to natural heritage, with events linked to the European Day of Parks and the participation of national environmental associations such as WWF, LIPU, and Italia Nostra, to rediscover the bond between history, archaeology, and the landscape of the Crispiano area.

A free event open to all

Admission to all events is free subject to availability. The Crispiano Sustainability Festival has established itself as one of the key events in Puglia for those who want to understand and experience the themes of the 2030 Agenda in a context that turns sustainability into a community project.