MULTI - Festival of Cultures and Cuisines

MULTI, four days of cultures and cuisines at Piazza Vittorio

MULTI - Festival of Cultures and Cuisines is the major multicultural celebration that enlivens the Giardini di Piazza Vittorio (Nicola Calipari Gardens) every September in the Esquilino district, one of Rome's most cosmopolitan neighborhoods. The festival stems from a simple yet powerful idea: to tell the story of the world's multiplicity through its flavors, music, voices, and ideas, transforming the city's largest square into a meeting place for diverse peoples and traditions.

A gastronomic village from around the world

The beating heart of MULTI is the gastronomic village, where dozens of foreign communities bring the traditional dishes of their homelands. From the kitchens of Azerbaijan to Iran, from Sierra Leone to Congo, and even Honduras, the stalls offer a menu that is a true world tour on a plate. Each taste tells a story of migration, memory, and identity, becoming an opportunity to discover distant cultures without leaving the center of Rome.

Music, dance, and performances

The main stage hosts a rotating lineup of live concerts and performances spanning the continents: Japanese drums, Persian music ensembles, Sufi dances, mariachi, and multi-ethnic orchestras give voice to a sonic dialogue that unites different worlds. The musical programming is complemented by dance and performance art, turning the square into an open, participatory stage with free admission.

Words, encounters, and rights

MULTI is not just about food and music: it is also a space for reflection. The program includes dozens of free events, including readings, debates, lectures, and book presentations, with speakers from various countries. Literature, memory, citizenship, rights, and spirituality are the central themes of these meetings, while children can enjoy workshops and activities designed for families.

An Esquilino festival for Rome

The event is promoted by Roma Capitale and realized thanks to the collaboration of entities such as Slow Food Roma, Lucy, and the Polo Civico Esquilino, involving over one hundred local organizations. Rooted in Municipio I and the province of Rome, in the Lazio region, MULTI has become in just a few years one of the most anticipated events of the Roman autumn: a project that makes coexistence and the meeting of cultures its hallmark.