Sphairos – Philosophical Encounters in the Places of Empedocles

A philosophy festival in the homeland of Empedocles

Sphairos – Philosophical Encounters in the Places of Empedocles is a cultural event held in Agrigento, Sicily. Its name evokes the Sphairos, the perfect and harmonious sphere theorized by the philosopher and poet Empedocles, who was born in ancient Akragas in the 5th century BC. The festival aims to bring philosophy back to the places that gave it birth, fostering a dialogue between ancient thought and the questions of the present.

Origins and organization

The first edition took place in October 2025 as part of the Agrigento Italian Capital of Culture 2025 program. The event is promoted by the "Pier Paolo Pasolini" Cultural Center with the support of the Ministry of Culture and the Agrigento 2025 Foundation. Scientific direction is led by philosopher Alfonso Maurizio Iacono, while artistic direction is curated by Giovanni Taglialavoro.

The program and the "peripati"

Sphairos spans several days and features diverse formats: lectiones magistrales by leading thinkers, evening performance-lectures, philosophy lessons for high school students, and the signature peripati. These are guided philosophical walks among the ruins, where a philosopher or writer engages in dialogue with an archaeologist while strolling through the temples—an invitation to philosophize in motion, following in the footsteps of the ancient Peripatetics.

Guests at the inaugural edition included philosopher Massimo Cacciari, writer and host Pietro Del Soldà, science communicator Massimo Polidoro, and numerous university professors and archaeologists working on the sites of Akragas.

The venues

The event utilizes some of the city's most evocative locations: the prestigious Teatro Pirandello, the Church of San Pietro, the Monastery of Santo Spirito, and above all the Valley of the Temples, a UNESCO World Heritage site, which serves as the natural stage for the philosophical peripati. Walking among the remains of the Hellenistic theater and the Doric temples while discussing Plato and Empedocles is the festival's most unique experience.

A landmark event for Agrigento and Sicily

Sphairos establishes itself as one of the most intellectually stimulating events on the Agrigento calendar, attracting a wide audience ranging from students to philosophy enthusiasts. Following the success of its debut, organizers are already working to ensure the initiative's continuity in the coming years, consolidating Agrigento's position as a capital of philosophical thought in the Mediterranean.