From October 13 to 15, the second cross-border Transformative Economies Festival will take place in Gorizia and Nova Gorica, this year focusing on inclusive and sustainable human settlements.
From October 13 to 15, Rethinkable, the cross-border festival of transformative economies, returns to Gorizia and Nova Gorica for its second edition. The event, now a staple for those engaged in alternative economies in Friuli Venezia Giulia and neighboring Slovenia, has been revamped in format but remains true to its values: sustainability, attention to relationships and individuals, and a vision of change.
The 2023 edition, titled “Areas in Transformation,” will focus on the theme of inclusive and sustainable human settlements, aligning with the 11th goal of the UN Agenda for Sustainable Development by 2030. Discussions will not only cover cities but also all places where people live, work, and move, from rural to urban areas, always considering the glocal perspective where global and local issues intersect.
The cross-border spirit, an added value of the event, will be maintained this year as well: Italian and Slovenian organizations have collaborated to implement the festival with the aim of exchanging and constructive dialogue. Events will be held both in Gorizia and Nova Gorica and will be open and accessible to all who wish to participate, overcoming language barriers – in some cases using English, in others with the help of interpreters.
The event organizers, in addition to the project leader, ProDes FVG, include Cvcs / Voluntary Center for Development Cooperation from Gorizia, Legambiente FVG, ZRC SAZU, and the Universities of Udine, Trieste, and Nova Gorica. The project has been developed with the valuable collaboration of GO!2025, the Municipality of Turriaco/Turjak, the Degrowth Association, the Arci Gong Club from Gorizia, X Center from Nova Gorica, Ries / Italian Network for Solidarity Economy, Pact for Flour from Eastern Friuli, and the Des Friul di Mieç Cooperative. Media partners include Altreconomia, Comune.info, and Radio Fragola.
The three-day festival will be packed with events aimed at various target groups. On Friday, October 13, primary and secondary school students will participate in a solar cooking workshop. High school students will also have the opportunity to take part in the Silent Play workshop, a type of interactive and innovative theater activity aimed at understanding climate change. In the afternoon, seminars on food and multiculturalism and a multilingual workshop on “Cities of the Future” will take place. The opening evening will feature a conference with international guest Juan del Río, a representative of the Spanish Transition Towns movement and co-chair of Eco-lise, the European network of community initiatives on climate change and sustainability. This will be followed by an aperitif with local products and a concert where artists will explore how life systems can enrich electronic music compositions.
Saturday morning will be dedicated to participatory workshops where participants will envision future cities using various methods, including those promoted by the Transition Towns movement and lateral thinking. In the afternoon, a conference and workshop on the agro-food chain will be held. In the evening, the ArciGong Club in Gorizia will screen the documentary film “Alternativas Nativas – Building Possible Futures,” produced by the Red de Transición and directed by Juan del Río and Agustí Corominás. This will be followed by a discussion with the author and Jason Nardi, President of the Italian Network for Solidarity Economy – Ries.
On Sunday, a regenerative walk exploring urban greenery along the border and a workshop on body awareness and its relationship with the ecosystem are planned. At the end of the event, there will be an opportunity for a collective reflection on the activities carried out during the three-day festival and their potential for the future of local communities.
“After last year’s ‘test run,’ we are proudly presenting the second edition of Rethinkable, the Transformative Economies Festival, which in 2023 will be dedicated to inclusive and sustainable settlements,” commented Nadia Carestiato, President of ProDES FVG. “This is an extremely timely topic, especially given the challenges of climate change and urbanization: estimates suggest that by 2050, 75% of the world’s population will live in cities. We wanted to organize a three-day event that would serve as a stimulus for collective reflection and, like last year, transcend borders: collaboration in this field knows no boundaries.”
Detailed program and registration links for workshops are available at [www.rethinkablefestival.it/en/](http://www.rethinkablefestival.it/en/).
The Rethinkable Festival is funded by the Friuli Venezia Giulia region under the call for the expansion of humanistic culture.