Inter Alpes Poetry Prize and Gianni Romano Prize

A poetry prize across the Alps

The Inter Alpes Poetry Prize is a cross-border literary competition that has been uniting Italy and France in the name of youth poetry for nearly twenty years. Promoted by the Alliance Française of Cuneo together with the Rotary Clubs of the Granda province — Cuneo 1925, Alba, Bra, Canale Roero, Mondovì, and Saluzzo — and the French club of Barcelonnette, the initiative involves students aged 12 to 19 living in Italy or France each year, who are invited to compose poems in both Italian and French.

The ceremony in Pianfei

The highlight of the prize is the awards ceremony held at the Hotel La Ruota in Pianfei, in the heart of the municipality in the province of Cuneo, Piedmont. The evening is attended by Rotary Club presidents and members, finalist students, teachers, and families. The winning compositions are read and performed before the audience in an atmosphere that weaves together culture, education, and friendship across the two sides of the Alps.

The Gianni Romano Prize

The evening also features the Gianni Romano Prize, dedicated to the memory of a figure dear to the Rotary association. The awards presented include poetry volumes and a gold multiple created by a local artist, testifying to the bond between poetic word and art.

An open cultural evening

In addition to the awards, the event includes an Interclub cultural segment. In the most recent edition, the evening was dedicated to the "Novelle a Tavola" (Tales at the Table) project, inspired by the medieval Florentine tradition and Boccaccio's Decameron, featuring readings and a themed dinner. An occasion that transforms the ceremony into a true celebration of literature and conviviality.

A bridge between Italy and France

The value of the Inter Alpes Prize lies in its cross-border dimension: every year, hundreds of compositions arrive from schools in the province of Cuneo and from France, a sign of a vibrant cultural dialogue between the two Alpine nations. The award, which has also enjoyed the High Patronage of the President of the Republic, represents a benchmark for young poets in the Cuneo area and beyond the Alps.