Festival of Peoples
Three days of connection, intercultural dialogue, and conviviality in Rignano sull'Arno
About Festival of Peoples
A festival to build bridges between peoples
Every year at the end of May, Rignano sull'Arno—a town in the Florentine Valdarno, within the Metropolitan City of Florence, Tuscany—becomes a crossroads of cultures thanks to the Festival of Peoples. Born from the commitment of the volunteer association La Formica ODV and supported by the local municipality, the event has become one of the region's most significant gatherings dedicated to inclusion and intercultural dialogue.
For three days, Piazza XXV Aprile becomes a true Square of Conviviality: a place where foreign communities living in the Valdarno share their traditional dishes, music, and customs with the local population. Morocco, Albania, Sri Lanka, Ivory Coast, and Italy sit at the same table, and diversity becomes an opportunity for mutual discovery.
Much more than a food festival
The Festival of Peoples is not just about food and music: it is a journey of reflection that addresses current themes such as peace, hospitality, and human rights. Among the most heartfelt events are the ecumenical prayer, which brings together representatives of different religions, and the testimonies shared by humanitarian workers and doctors active in global crisis zones.
A large space is reserved for young people with Games from the World, workshops, and activities organized by local schools, involving children and teenagers in an experience of openness and curiosity toward other cultures. Finally, there is a strong civic focus: during the festival, a symbolic honorary citizenship ceremony is held for foreign-born minors residing in the area, a concrete sign of a community that recognizes and welcomes those who live there.
An event that grows year by year
Reaching its tenth edition in 2026, the Festival of Peoples has established itself in the Valdarno event calendar as a collective moment, capable of uniting associations, the parish, schools, and institutions. Each edition revolves around a theme that guides its content, from hope to peace-building, giving a unified meaning to the days.
Free and open to all, the event is the ideal opportunity to spend a May weekend immersed in conviviality, tasting dishes from all over the world and breathing in the welcoming atmosphere of a small Tuscan community that makes the meeting of peoples its identity.
Festival of Peoples — edition 2026
The 2026 edition celebrated the tenth anniversary of the event with the theme «Builders of Peace», dedicated to men and women, citizens, young people, and families committed to building peace. The heart of the festival was Piazza XXV Aprile, enlivened by the Square of Conviviality with international food stalls, alongside the symbolic space of the «Tent of Peace.» Among the most significant moments were the ecumenical prayer with the Imam of Florence Izzedin Elzir, humanitarian testimonies on Gaza, and the symbolic honorary citizenship ceremony for resident foreign-born minors, in the presence of Mayor Giacomo Certosi and the Vice President of the Tuscany Region, Mia Diop Bintou. Numerous organizations were involved, from La Formica ODV to ARCI Florence, COSPE, SOS Méditerranée, and Caritas Diocesana Firenze.
Programme Festival of Peoples 2026
Wednesday, May 20 — Parish Hall
- 21:00 — Reflection evening «Building Peace: for an ecology of the soul capable of a future» with Professor Luigino Bruni
Saturday, May 23 — Piazza XXV Aprile
- 15:00 — Games from the world and workshops for children and teenagers, organized by schools
- 17:00 — Humanitarian testimonies: «With my own eyes, what I saw in Gaza»
- 18:30 — Ecumenical prayer with the Imam of Florence Izzedin Elzir and representatives of different religions
- 19:30 — Square of Conviviality: food stalls with Moroccan, Albanian, Palestinian, and Sri Lankan cuisine, and Mediterranean music with the Gruppo Mescaria
Sunday, May 24 — Piazza XXV Aprile
- 15:00 — Games and stories from the world for children
- 17:00 — Discussion «Ius Scholae, the right to be Italian»
- 18:30 — Symbolic honorary citizenship ceremony with Mayor Giacomo Certosi and the Vice President of the Tuscany Region Mia Diop Bintou
- Evening — Music with the Ivorian group Giguywssa and final DJ set by Marco Savi
Highlights Festival of Peoples 2026
Prices Festival of Peoples 2026
Practical information — Festival of Peoples
Getting there
Rignano sull'Arno is located along the Arno Valley, about 25 km from Florence. By car, it can be reached via the SS69 or the Incisa-Reggello exit of the A1 motorway. By train, the Rignano sull'Arno station is on the Florence–Arezzo regional line, just a few minutes' walk from the center.
Location
The heart of the festival is Piazza XXV Aprile, with the Pastoral Center and parish spaces used for meetings and exhibitions.
Admission and services
Admission to the festival is free. Food stalls offer dishes at affordable prices. It is recommended to arrive in the late afternoon to experience both the moments of reflection and the convivial dinner and evening music.
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Where does it take place — Festival of Peoples
Piazza XXV Aprile
Piazza XXV Aprile, 50067 Rignano sull'Arno