Festival Direzione Europa
The festival of European citizenship in Cavriago, between peace, culture, and rights
About Direzione Europa
A festival to rediscover the idea of Europe
The Festival Direzione Europa is the event with which the Municipality of Cavriago, a small town in the province of Reggio Emilia in Emilia-Romagna, celebrates Europe Day on May 9th. Born in 2023, the festival has grown year by year to become an anticipated event of the Cavriago spring: a widespread calendar of meetings, conferences, workshops, animated readings, exhibitions, and performances designed to involve the entire community, from the youngest to adults.
The heart of the event: the Multiplo Centro Cultura
The core of the festival is the Multiplo Centro Cultura at via della Repubblica 23, Cavriago's library and cultural center, alongside its historic park and other spaces in the town. Most of the events are concentrated here, from children's readings to meetings with artists, writers, and scholars. The festival is promoted by the Municipality in collaboration with entities from the Reggio Emilia area, including the Department of Education and Human Sciences of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, the Fondazione Famiglia Sarzi, and numerous local associations.
The languages of peace
Recent editions have chosen peace as the central theme, interpreted through different languages: comics and visual journalism, theater, music, art, and storytelling. The festival proposes an idea of Europe founded on rights, human dignity, and pluralism, and does so with an accessible and participatory language, capable of engaging younger audiences through creative workshops and dedicated activities.
An event for the whole community
- Animated readings and workshops for children and families
- Meetings with artists, cartoonists, historians, and cultural operators
- Exhibitions and installations set up at the Multiplo and in spaces around the town
- Evening theater performances on civil and social issues
- Free admission to all activities
Direzione Europa is today one of the events that best represent the civil and cultural vocation of Cavriago, a municipality that has for decades intertwined historical memory, commitment, and international openness.
Direzione Europa — edition 2026
The fourth edition of the Festival Direzione Europa was held on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at the Multiplo Centro Cultura in Cavriago, resuming the foundational idea of peace and reaffirming its urgency through solidarity and cooperation. The program spanned the entire day, from morning animated readings to evening performances, intertwining art, comics, theater, and civil engagement. Among the main guests were artist and cartoonist Gianluca Costantini and Carlo Branzaglia, a lecturer at the Academy of Fine Arts of Bologna.
Programme Direzione Europa 2026
Saturday, May 16, 2026 — Multiplo Centro Cultura
Morning
- Stories for a happy, peaceful world — animated readings in English on peace, curated by Annalisa Sezzi
- 10:00 AM — Words of Peace, the final meeting of the workshop with Stefano Merzi from the Monte Sole Peace School, dedicated to dialogue and nonviolent practices
Afternoon
- 4:30 PM — Fixing the World: visual chronicles of conflicts and rights, meeting with Gianluca Costantini and Carlo Branzaglia (Academy of Fine Arts of Bologna)
- Art workshop Puppet of Peace, curated by Fondazione Famiglia Sarzi (children aged 5-10)
- 6:00 PM — inauguration of the commemorative plaque dedicated to Palestinian victims
Evening
- 9:00 PM — Theater of the Oppressed – a proud community, performance by Arcigay Gioconda of Reggio Emilia
Exhibition
- Letters to the Sky — exhibition of works by children from Gaza, open until May 30th
Highlights Direzione Europa 2026
Prices Direzione Europa 2026
Practical information — Direzione Europa
Where
Multiplo Centro Cultura, via della Repubblica 23, 42025 Cavriago (RE). Some activities take place in the historic park of the Multiplo and in other spaces in the town.
How to get there
Cavriago is located a few kilometers from Reggio Emilia. By car, it can be reached from the A1 highway (Reggio Emilia exit) following signs for Cavriago. By train, the reference station is Reggio Emilia, connected to Cavriago by local buses.
Admission
All festival activities are free of charge. For some workshops and meetings, booking may be required: it is advisable to consult the website of the Multiplo Centro Cultura.
Information
Updated program and details at multiplo.comune.cavriago.re.it.
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Where does it take place — Direzione Europa
Multiplo Centro Cultura
Via della Repubblica 23, 42025 Cavriago