Education Festival "In the Footsteps of Pino Pennisi"

A festival to grow together in Syracuse

The Education Festival "In the Footsteps of Pino Pennisi" is one of the most cherished civic events in the autumn calendar of Syracuse, the provincial capital overlooking the Ionian Sea in the south-eastern tip of Sicily. Promoted by the municipal administration through the Syracuse Educational City project, the festival brings the entire urban fabric to life for a full week, from the Urban Center to schools, squares to museums, and university venues to the city's cultural spaces.

In the footsteps of Pino Pennisi

The festival is dedicated to the memory of Pino Pennisi, a citizen and cultural animator committed to the third sector and deeply convinced of the community's educational role, who passed away prematurely in 2018. Since that year, the festival has carried on his legacy, focusing on the inviolable rights of the individual, civic sense, and collective responsibility toward new generations. The event is made possible thanks to the "Friends of the Educational City" network, which brings together dozens of associations, cooperatives, and local entities.

The March for Rights

The symbolic heart of the festival is the March for the Rights of Children and Adolescents, which every year on November 20th, World Children's Day, fills the streets of the center with thousands of students from Syracuse schools. The procession usually ends at the Foro Vittorio Emanuele II, on the Marina, where the "Village of Rights" comes to life with thematic stations curated by the students themselves.

A widespread and participatory program

The festival calendar weaves together literary presentations, theatrical performances, workshops for children and families, training sessions for teachers and educators, and moments of reflection on major contemporary themes, from peace to listening to the youngest. The event is sponsored by Unicef Italy and Unicef Syracuse and involves partners such as the Italian Red Cross Youth and numerous local volunteer organizations.

• Dozens of free events spread throughout the city
• Strong involvement of schools of all levels
• The great March for the Rights of Children and Adolescents
• Sponsored by Unicef Italy and Unicef Syracuse

An unmissable appointment for families, schools, and educators in the province of Syracuse, the Education Festival confirms the solidary and participatory face of the Aretusean community every year.