Scintille di memoria – Children's and Young Adult Book Festival
The children's and young adult book festival dedicated to the history of the Resistance in Sant'Anna di Stazzema
About Scintille di memoria
A book festival at the heart of memory
Scintille di memoria – Children's and Young Adult Book Festival debuted in 2026 in Sant'Anna di Stazzema, a village in the municipality of Stazzema, in the province of Lucca, Tuscany. The location is no coincidence: this small village in the Versilia area is a powerful symbol of European civil memory, having been the site of one of the most tragic Nazi-Fascist massacres in Italian history in 1944. Today, it is home to the Parco Nazionale della Pace, which holds the European Heritage Label, and it is here that a festival weaving together literature, history, and civic education comes to life.
Reading for freedom
The philosophy behind the event is simple yet profound: children and young adults can discuss any topic if the right words are used. Reading thus becomes a tool for freedom and awareness. The events revolve around five key themes — memory, peace and coexistence, identity and diversity, imagination, liberation and freedom, and nature and territory — and are aimed at a wide audience, from preschool children to high school students, as well as families, teachers, and cultural professionals.
Author meetings and workshops
The program for the first edition featured eleven meetings with authors, some reserved for schools and others open to the public. Guests included renowned names in children's literature such as Anna Sarfatti, Fulvia Degl'Innocenti, Laura Manaresi, Federica Seneghini, Guia Risari, Marco Erba, and Luigi Garlando, who closed the festival with a talk on the figure of Sandro Pertini. Alongside the meetings, the festival offered workshops, readings, and guided tours of the Resistance Museum and the village of Sant'Anna, a path designed to connect the narrative world of books with the real-life locations of history.
Between memory and Liberation Day
The timing of the festival, on April 24th and 25th, links it inextricably to Liberation Day. The second day opens with official commemorations at the Monumental Ossuary, while literary events continue in the afternoon. A particularly poignant moment is the testimonial meeting with survivors of the 1944 massacre, allowing younger generations to hear history directly from those who lived through it.
An educational project for Tuscany and Europe
Promoted by the Parco Nazionale della Pace in collaboration with the Municipality of Stazzema and the Tuscany Region, and under the artistic direction of curator Annamaria Giannetto Pini, "Scintille di memoria" transforms Sant'Anna di Stazzema into an active space for intergenerational dialogue. The festival is also linked to the comic book Un fantastico viaggio in Europa, illustrated by Luca Baldi, which introduces children aged 5 to 9 to the values of European heritage. It is an event that makes Versilia and Tuscany a reference point for peace and citizenship education.
Scintille di memoria — edition 2026
2026 Program
The first edition was spread over two days, featuring author meetings, workshops, and guided tours of the historical sites of Sant'Anna di Stazzema.
Friday, April 24
The morning was dedicated to schools with author meetings: at 9:30 AM, Anna Sarfatti with Fulmine, un cane coraggioso, Laura Manaresi and Giovanni Manna with La locanda degli angeli, and Fulvia Degl'Innocenti with Flora. La staffetta partigiana; at 11:00 AM, Federica Seneghini with Salvate il soldato Jack, Guia Risari with Alza la testa, and Biagio Goldstein Bolocan with La bella Resistenza. In the afternoon, open to the public, at 3:00 PM Marco Erba presented Amore nero, and at 4:00 PM, a testimonial meeting with survivors of the 1944 massacre was held.
Saturday, April 25
Liberation Day opened at 10:00 AM with official commemorations at the Ossuary. In the afternoon, workshops were held: at 3:00 PM, Simone Dini Gandini with La bicicletta di Bartali, and at 4:00 PM, Gabriele Libero Balderi with Il mercante in fiore. At 5:00 PM, Luigi Garlando closed the festival by presenting Sandro libera tutti, dedicated to Sandro Pertini.
Programme Scintille di memoria 2026
Friday, April 24 (morning, schools)
- 9:30 AM — Anna Sarfatti, Fulmine, un cane coraggioso
- 9:30 AM — Laura Manaresi and Giovanni Manna, La locanda degli angeli
- 9:30 AM — Fulvia Degl'Innocenti, Flora. La staffetta partigiana
- 11:00 AM — Federica Seneghini, Salvate il soldato Jack
- 11:00 AM — Guia Risari, Alza la testa
- 11:00 AM — Biagio Goldstein Bolocan, La bella Resistenza
Friday, April 24 (afternoon, public)
- 3:00 PM — Marco Erba, Amore nero
- 4:00 PM — Testimonial meeting with survivors of the 1944 massacre
Saturday, April 25 (Liberation Day)
- 10:00 AM — Official commemorations at the Ossuary
- 3:00 PM — Simone Dini Gandini, workshop La bicicletta di Bartali
- 4:00 PM — Gabriele Libero Balderi, workshop Il mercante in fiore
- 5:00 PM — Luigi Garlando, Sandro libera tutti (on Sandro Pertini)
Highlights Scintille di memoria 2026
- First edition of the children's book festival in Sant'Anna di Stazzema
- Eleven meetings with authors of children's and young adult literature
- Testimonial meeting with survivors of the 1944 massacre
- Luigi Garlando with Sandro libera tutti, dedicated to Sandro Pertini
- Workshops, readings, and guided tours of the Resistance sites
Prices Scintille di memoria 2026
Practical information — Scintille di memoria
Getting there
Sant'Anna di Stazzema is located in the Apuan Alps, in the province of Lucca. By car, it can be reached from the Versilia exit of the A12 motorway, continuing towards Pietrasanta and then driving up to the village. By train, the nearest station is Pietrasanta, on the Tyrrhenian line, from where you must continue by car or local transport services.
Admission
The morning meetings on April 24th are reserved for schools; the afternoon sessions and the events on April 25th are open to the public. For updated schedules and participation details, please consult the official channels of the Parco Nazionale della Pace di Sant'Anna di Stazzema.
Tips
We recommend combining your visit to the festival with a tour of the Resistance Museum, the Monumental Ossuary, and the historical path through the village.
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Where does it take place — Scintille di memoria
Sant'Anna di Stazzema