Maria Teresa Di Lascia National Award

A literary award in the heart of the Monti Dauni

The Maria Teresa Di Lascia National Award is one of the most deeply rooted literary events in the Capitanata region. It takes place in Rocchetta Sant'Antonio, a border village in the Monti Dauni in the province of Foggia, overlooking Irpinia and Basilicata. Promoted by the Municipality of Rocchetta Sant'Antonio with the support of Puglia Culture and the Apulia Region, the award transforms this small Apulian town for several weeks into a meeting point for writers, publishers, university professors, and readers from across Italy.

The categories: Fiction and Non-Fiction

The competition is divided into two main categories, Fiction and Non-Fiction, which compare works published by major Italian publishers over the last two years. Each year, a scientific jury selects a shortlist of finalists, while a popular jury participates in the final vote on the day of the ceremony. Over time, the award has also made space for children's literature and for authors committed to themes of memory, citizenship, and rights.

Maria Teresa Di Lascia, the «radical witch»

The award is named after Maria Teresa Di Lascia (Foggia, 1954 - Rome, 1994), a writer and militant of the Radical Party, of which she was national deputy secretary. Her only novel, Passaggio in ombra (Feltrinelli, 1995), the result of eight years of work and inspired by her family's stories in Apulia, won the 1995 Strega Prize posthumously. Deeply connected to her Apulian roots in Rocchetta Sant'Antonio, her figure as an intellectual and civil rights activist is central to the event's identity, which continues her commitment to culture and the role of women in society.

A village that becomes a capital of culture

Around the award ceremony, Rocchetta Sant'Antonio offers a widespread program of events: book presentations, theatre-song performances, concerts, creative workshops, local history meetings, and Christmas festivities such as the Living Nativity and the folk traditions of the Monti Dauni. It is a way to bring the award to life for the entire community and to enhance the village's heritage, among historic churches, stone alleys, and the Multifunctional Centre that hosts the final evening.

Organization and jury

The scientific direction brings together professors and scholars from Apulian universities and beyond, with historical curation entrusted to Lucia Castelli. The award collaborates with local entities such as the Foggia UNESCO Club, which assigns its own independent recognition. Thanks to funding from the Apulia Region, admission to the events is free, in keeping with the civic and popular vocation of the event.