Festa della Musica — World Summit (Enzo Avitabile)
The free concert-event created by Enzo Avitabile at Piazza Mercato
About World Summit Naples
The grand free concert at Piazza Mercato
The World Summit is the highlight of the Festa della Musica in Naples: a completely free concert-event conceived and directed by Enzo Avitabile, taking place at Piazza Mercato starting at 9:00 PM on June 21st. It is the grand finale of a day that the Municipality of Naples hosts across the entire city, from the viewpoints of the historic center to the suburbs, culminating here on a single, large open-air stage, open to everyone with no ticket required.
Enzo Avitabile and the dialogue between Africa, the Mediterranean, and Europe
The project bears the signature of one of the most internationally recognized Neapolitan musicians. The concert is built as a sonic journey where Africa, the Mediterranean, and Europe intertwine, blending Neapolitan rhythmic traditions, African percussion and vocals, rap, and singer-songwriter styles. It is not merely a showcase of guests, but a unified artistic direction: Avitabile constructs the evening's repertoire as a dialogue between different languages that find a common tongue.
An international cast under the Naples sky
Surrounding Avitabile and his Bottari have been prominent names in world music and the Italian scene:
- Angélique Kidjo, the Beninese singer and five-time Grammy Award winner;
- Rokia Traoré, the Malian musician and one of the most refined voices of the African continent;
- rappers Ntò and Sayf;
- 'O Zulù of 99 Posse, a historic voice of the Neapolitan scene;
- a special appearance by actor Massimiliano Gallo.
A city-wide festival across six Municipalities
The World Summit does not stand alone: it is the culmination of the city's Festa della Musica, which in its most recent edition involved six Municipalities with free concerts, performances, and showcases. From the morning, music fills Piazza Dante, Piazza degli Artisti, Piazza San Pasquale, Piazza San Francesco di Paola, and Porta Capuana; in the late afternoon, it moves to the Monte Echia viewpoint and Piazza Giovanni Paolo II in Scampia. Professional musicians, emerging bands, choirs, music schools, and DJs share the same schedule in a spirit of decentralization that is both a political and cultural choice.
Piazza Mercato, the city's popular heart
The choice of venue is no coincidence. Piazza Mercato, in the district of the same name near the ancient center and just a short walk from the sea, is one of Naples' most historic and popular spaces: bringing a major free concert back here means restoring the square's role as a collective meeting place. The national theme chosen for the edition, "The voice of places", perfectly captures this idea: music as a driver of territorial development and social cohesion, rather than mere entertainment.
Naples, City of Music
The initiative is part of the Naples City of Music program, through which the capital of Campania promotes its musical identity. Mayor Gaetano Manfredi has defined the event as the cultural manifesto of this project, reaffirming the image of a welcoming city capable of preserving its roots. For those visiting the province of Naples in June, it is an opportunity to experience an international-level musical evening for free, in one of Italy's most intense urban settings.
Who is it for?
The event is designed for a broad audience: world music fans, families, young people, tourists, and local residents. The open-air, free-entry format, combined with the widespread programming in squares throughout the day, makes it particularly suitable for those who want to discover Naples by walking from one concert to the next.
World Summit Naples — edition 2026
2026 Edition: music takes over the whole city
The 2026 edition of the Festa della Musica in Naples operated on a dual level. From morning to night, the widespread programming promoted by the Municipality of Naples lit up six Municipalities, with performances by musicians, bands, choirs, music schools, DJs, and emerging artists in squares across the center and the suburbs. Then, as night fell, everything converged at Piazza Mercato for the World Summit.
The concert, conceived and directed by Enzo Avitabile, was built as a sonic journey between Africa, the Mediterranean, and Europe. Alongside Avitabile and the Bottari, the stage featured Angélique Kidjo, a five-time Grammy winner, the Malian Rokia Traoré, rappers Ntò and Sayf, 'O Zulù of 99 Posse, and actor Massimiliano Gallo.
The national theme of the edition, "The voice of places", guided the choice of decentralization: bringing music to where people live, from the Monte Echia viewpoint to Piazza Giovanni Paolo II in Scampia. All events, as per the tradition of the Festa della Musica, were free to attend.
Programme World Summit Naples 2026
Sunday, June 21, 2026 — Daily Program
- 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM — Piazza Dante, Piazza degli Artisti, Piazza San Pasquale
- 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM — Piazza San Francesco di Paola, Porta Capuana
- 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM — Monte Echia viewpoint and Piazza Giovanni Paolo II (Scampia)
- 9:00 PM — Piazza Mercato: World Summit, free concert-event conceived and directed by Enzo Avitabile
On the World Summit stage
- Enzo Avitabile and the Bottari
- Angélique Kidjo (Benin, five-time Grammy Award winner)
- Rokia Traoré (Mali)
- Ntò and Sayf (rap)
- 'O Zulù (99 Posse)
- Massimiliano Gallo (special appearance)
The squares hosting the widespread program featured professional musicians, bands, choirs, music schools, DJs, and emerging artists, following the participatory format of the Festa della Musica.
Highlights World Summit Naples 2026
- Free concert by Enzo Avitabile at Piazza Mercato, starting at 9:00 PM
- Presence of Angélique Kidjo and Rokia Traoré, two iconic voices of African world music
- The meeting of rap, Neapolitan song, and traditional percussion
- Six Municipalities involved in a day of city-wide music
- Monte Echia viewpoint and Piazza Giovanni Paolo II in Scampia as evening stages
- Theme of the edition: "The voice of places"
Prices World Summit Naples 2026
Practical information — World Summit Naples
Where it takes place
The main concert is held at Piazza Mercato, in the Mercato district of Naples, a short distance from the historic center and the port area. Other events throughout the day are spread across Piazza Dante, Piazza degli Artisti, Piazza San Pasquale, Piazza San Francesco di Paola, Porta Capuana, the Monte Echia viewpoint, and Piazza Giovanni Paolo II in Scampia.
How to get there
Piazza Mercato is within walking distance of the historic center. Those arriving by train can use the Naples Centrale station (Piazza Garibaldi), which is connected to the city's metro network. For other locations, Piazza Dante is served by Metro Line 1, as is Scampia. Given the expected crowds and possible traffic restrictions on the evening of the concert, it is advisable to use public transport and avoid private cars.
Admission and prices
All events of the Neapolitan Festa della Musica, including the World Summit, are completely free to attend, with no reservation required, subject to the square's capacity.
Tips
- Arrive well before 9:00 PM to secure a good spot in the square.
- The evening is outdoors: bring water and light clothing, but also a sweater for the end of the concert.
- Always check the updated program on the Municipality of Naples website before setting off.
Information
Municipality of Naples — Culture Department, tel. +39 081 7955262, [email protected].
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Where does it take place — World Summit Naples
Piazza Mercato
Piazza Mercato, 80139 Napoli