Presentation of the "Lugano Città Aperta" proceedings and conference with the Director of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum

The proceedings of the project “Lugano città aperta” (Edizioni Città di Lugano, 2018, “Pagine storiche luganesi”) will be presented on Wednesday, January 23, just a few days shy of the 2019 Holocaust day. The event will be held at 10:30 am in the USI Auditorium, on Lugano campus and is promoted by Fondazione “Federica Spitzer”, USI Institute of Italian Studies, with the support of the Cantonal Department of Institutions of Canton Ticino, and the programme for cantonal integration PIC. A conference with guest speaker Piotr Cywinski, director of the Auschwitz-Birkenau museum, will close the event to underline the merging of cultural and civil objectives that have animated the project “Lugano città aperta”.    

The event will feature welcome remarks by USI Rector Boas Erez, the Head of the Cantonal Department of Local Institutions Norman Gobbi, the Mayor of Lugano Marco Borradori, and the President of the Fondazione “Federica Spitzer” Moreno Bernasconi.

80 years since the Italian Racial Laws were approved under the Fascist regime, the Fondazione Federica Spitzer and the City of Lugano have promoted a series of events to spread the humanitarian tradition that historically defines the City of Lugano and the Swiss Italian speaking region towards those who have endured political oppression, racial and religious persecution, and have been denied freedom. The project, highlighted by the inauguration of Giardino dei Giusti (Garden of the Righteous) at Parco Ciani, was meant to pay homage to four figures from Ticino who, with their tangible commitment, opposed oppression and/or saved the lives of those who were persecuted. The book features excerpts from the conferences dedicated to Francesco Alberti, Carlo Sommaruga, Anna Maria Valagussa, and Guido Rivoir, and the proceedings of the convention Lugano al crocevia. Esuli, esperienze, idee promoted in collaboration with the Institute of Italian Studies of Università della Svizzera italiana.

Programme

10:30 am Welcome remarks by USI Rector, Professor Boas Erez
Head of the Cantonal Department of Local Institutions Norman Gobbi
Mayor of Lugano, Marco Borradori
President of Fondazione “Federica Spitzer”, Moreno Bernasconi

10:45 am «Lugano città aperta» and «Lugano al crocevia»
Prof. Stefano Prandi, Director of the Institute of Italian Studies (USI)
Prof. Giacomo Jori (USI), book editor
Pietro Montorfani, Director of the Historical Archives of the City of Lugano, and book editor

11:20 am
Conference by Piotr M.A. Cywiński, Director of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

For more information: http://www.fondazionespitzer.ch/lugano-citta-aperta