Social and Civil Literature Festival

A festival that puts literature at the service of civic engagement

The Social and Civil Literature Festival is a cultural event born in Oliveto Citra, in the province of Salerno, with the stated goal of creating a meeting place for ideas, stories, and reflections. At its core are the great themes of social justice, memory, legality, and civic engagement, explored through books, dialogue with authors, and direct testimony from those who have personally experienced the consequences of violence and organized crime.

The initiative is promoted by the Municipality of Oliveto Citra together with the Migr-Azioni ETS association, a third-sector organization active in Campania on issues of hospitality, integration, and social culture. The shared intent is to raise awareness within the community, particularly among the younger generations, by giving a voice to those who too often remain on the margins.

Social literature as a key to reading the present

The common thread of the event is the idea that books, and social literature in general, are privileged tools for interpreting reality and charting a path forward. A tradition that, as the organizers recall, has its roots in 19th-century fiction, starting with Charles Dickens and works like Oliver Twist, capable of recounting inequalities, marginalization, child labor, and the inability of institutions to respond to the needs of the most vulnerable.

«In this particular historical period, in an increasingly frantic and inhumane world where violence, organized crime, war, and indifference toward others prevail, we feel the obligation to organize an event that addresses these issues by focusing on solidarity, hospitality, integration, and civic engagement,» the promoters explain. Mayor Mino Pignata emphasized how «today, as in the past, there is a need to read books that speak of peace and non-violence, that show us the way to build a world where the human being is at the center, with their emotions, choices, and thoughts.»

A different theme for every edition

The chosen formula dictates that each edition of the festival is dedicated to a specific theme that runs through all scheduled meetings. For the first edition, held on January 22 and 23, 2026, the choice fell on a topic of great impact for Southern Italy: «Innocent victims of crime».

• Book presentations in direct dialogue with authors.
• Testimonies from family members of innocent victims of the Camorra.
• Debates and readings with students from local schools.
• Symbolic moments such as the planting of an olive tree.

Schools as protagonists

Great attention is reserved for local schools, which become the true protagonists during the two days of the event. Through debates, readings, and meetings with authors, students have the opportunity to engage with literature that does not merely recount, but educates and inspires concrete actions for building a fairer and more inclusive society. It is in this choice that the festival's vocation is revealed: not a literary review for insiders, but a path of civic education aimed at young people, called upon to become protagonists of a widespread cultural evolution.

The Regional Auditorium, the venue of the event

All appointments take place at the Regional Auditorium of Oliveto Citra, on Via De Gasperi, the facility that the Municipality designates for cultural events and conferences. The hall allows for hosting school groups in a single space and gives the meetings the format of a public discussion, with moderators and guests seated at the same table.

Oliveto Citra, in the upper Sele Valley

Oliveto Citra is a small town in Campania overlooking the upper Sele Valley, in the hinterland of the province of Salerno, a short distance from Contursi Terme and the borders with Irpinia. It is a territory of hillside villages, agricultural production, and a tradition of cultural initiatives that also includes the Premio Sele d'Oro Mezzogiorno, a historic summer event reflecting on the South hosted in the same town. The Social and Civil Literature Festival fits into this vocation, bringing an appointment that combines books, memory, and participation in the middle of winter.