Student Festival

An evening dedicated to the youth of Sannio

The Student Festival is a mid-July event in San Lorenzo Maggiore, a town of just over 1,800 residents in the province of Benevento, in the heart of inland Campania. The community gathers outdoors, in the square in front of the Via Roma school building, to publicly recognize the commitment, perseverance, and achievements of students who have completed their studies. This is not a formal school ceremony: it is a village celebration built around the school, where the students' merit becomes a matter of pride for everyone.

Who organizes it and why

The initiative is promoted by the San Lorenzo Martire Parish, led by parish priest Father Leucio Cutillo, with the involvement of the municipal administration and local educational institutions. The underlying idea is clear: in an inland area facing population decline, the school remains the primary defense against depopulation, and young students deserve to be celebrated before the entire town, not just within their families. Hence the constant focus, in every edition, on the survival of small mountain and hill schools.

The format of the evening

The structure is simple and repeated year after year, with different guests. The main stages are as follows:

• institutional greetings from the mayor and municipal administrators;
• a reflection on the meaning of school and education by the parish priest;
• testimonials from guests from the worlds of education, outreach, writing, or sports;
• the awards ceremony for meritorious students of the town, the central and most anticipated moment of the evening;
• hosted by Gabriele Di Marzo, a Rai television writer originally from the community.

The theme of the 2026 edition

The second edition took place on Friday, July 17, 2026, at 8:00 PM, with the theme «Today's Talents, Tomorrow's Ideas». After greetings from Mayor Carlo Giuseppe Iannotti, Father Leucio Cutillo offered a reflection titled «Why have a school?»; speakers included Diego Mecenero, journalist and educator, with the Lo Smontabulli project against bullying and cyberbullying, and writer and teacher Lucia Caruso. Professor Vincenzo Schettini, a science communicator known for La Fisica Che Ci Piace, also participated remotely with a video message for students, families, and the community. The evening concluded with the awards ceremony.

A call for small schools

The 2026 edition went beyond mere celebration: the evening launched a formal appeal to the Minister of Education and Merit, Giuseppe Valditara, entrusted to a letter, for the protection of small schools in inland areas threatened by demographic decline. This highlights the spirit of the event: defending the right to education in a territory where the closure of a school can mean the emigration of entire families.

A free, open-air event

The Student Festival is free to attend and takes place outdoors, with seating arranged in the school square. The atmosphere is that of a traditional Sannio village festival: many families, grandparents, teachers, and groups of young people. The altitude of San Lorenzo Maggiore, about 330 meters, makes July evenings pleasant even in the height of summer, though bringing a light sweater is recommended.

San Lorenzo Maggiore and the Valle Telesina

San Lorenzo Maggiore belongs to the Comunità Montana del Titerno and is nestled between the Taburno-Camposauro massif to the south and the Matese mountains to the north, in the predominantly hilly landscape of the Valle Telesina. The most iconic monument in the village is the Collegiate Church of San Lorenzo Martire, the seat of the parish that promotes the festival. Visitors can easily combine the evening with a tour of the Benevento Sannio area, exploring villages, wineries, and the nearby thermal spas of the valley.