Matera kicks off its year as Mediterranean Capital of Culture and Dialogue

A whole weekend transformed the city into a hub of Mediterranean culture and dialogue: 110 volunteers, around 100 delegations, 80 accredited journalists, 850 drones and over half a million views on social media

The weekend of 20, 21 and 22 March marked the start of Matera’s year as Mediterranean Capital of Culture and Dialogue, a title conferred for 2026 by the Union for the Mediterranean and the Anna Lindh Foundation on the city of the Sassi, alongside the Moroccan city of Tetouan. Three days in which the city demonstrated its ability to be at once a stage, a laboratory and a community: from the opening ceremony on 20 March, coinciding with International Happiness Day, to the FAI Spring Days and the initiatives of the University of Basilicata, right up to the branded hot-air balloon that brought the Parco del Castello to life at dawn on Sunday.

On 20 March, the official ceremony, hosted by Rai journalist Valentina Bisti, took place in the afternoon at the Teatro Duni construction site, which was restored to live music for the first time after years of silence. To open the event, the notes of “Mediterraneo” by the Lucanian singer-songwriter Pino Mango provided the backdrop to the video directed by Alessandro Rak and produced by Riva Dei Ginepri Production and Mad Entertainment Spa for MaTiFF – Matera International Film Festival, capturing the essence of a Mediterranean that unites, preserves traces and reimagines memories in new visual narratives.

On scaffolding transformed into a vertical stage, the Matera Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Saverio Vizziello, and the Pierluigi da Palestrina Matera Polyphonic Choir, conducted by Maestro Carmine Antonio Catenazzo, performed the Italian National Anthem and Beethoven’s ‘Ode to Joy’. Architect Pietro Laureano gave a short lecture on the Mediterranean of stone and water; Antonella Albano and Mick Zeni, Prima Ballerina and former Principal Dancer of La Scala in Milan, performed the pas de deux “Anemos. Il soffio del mare’ to original music by Mattia Vlad Morleo. Actress Eva Danino performed ‘Ma patrie est un visage’ by the Moroccan poet Tahar Ben Jelloun, a tribute to the twin city of Tetouan. The ceremony concluded with Eugenio Bennato performing ‘Che il Mediterraneo sia’ and ‘Ninna Nanna 2002’. Following this, on the façade of the Prefecture Building, Vincenzo D’Alba’s installation Sirena Bicaudata evoked one of the oldest iconographies of Matera Cathedral, whilst the Grande Orchestra di Fiati Città di Grottole, a 48-piece ensemble conducted by Maestro Filippo Carretta, performed on the scaffolding. At the same time, the Strada Evento brought Via del Corso and Via Ridola to life with 36 dancers, 38 musicians, and performances by Stefano Siggillino and the Compagnia del Trifone spread across 45 urban spaces, including balconies, windows, terraces and shop windows, until reaching Piazza San Pietro Caveoso, amidst the ancient silence of the Sassi. The Cantiere-evento® formats – Cantiere Teatro Duni, Cantiere Prefettura and Strada Evento – were organised by the Gianfranco Dioguardi Foundation / Dioguardi Lab.

The evening of 20 March drew to a close with a spectacle that will go down in the city’s history: from the Sasso Caveoso, the sounds of traditional Mediterranean folk music by Pino Basile, blended in real time with Daniele Antezza’s electronic music, were transformed into laser beams sweeping across the Murgia, curated by Ultravioletto, in a synaesthetic universe conceived and directed by Studio Antani. Finally, 850 drones drew luminous architectural patterns in the sky under the direction of Nicola Di Meo, in a spectacle witnessed by thousands of Matera residents and visitors who transformed the low walls of the Sassi into a continuous, sinuous balcony. They were joined by the many spectators who were able to follow the various moments of the day via live coverage on TGR Basilicata, the TRM network and the YouTube channel of the Matera Basilicata 2019 Foundation.

The programme for the opening day continued over the weekend. As part of the FAI Spring Days on 21 and 22 March, the Teatro Duni construction site opened its doors to the public on an exceptional basis as a tribute to the memory of architect Ettore Stella, with guided tours organised by FAI Basilicata and students from the Istituto E. Duni – C. Levi in collaboration with Cantiere-evento®. On Saturday morning, the theatre hosted the talk ‘The Future of the Past’ with artists Vincenzo D’Alba, Domingo Milella and Edoardo Tresoldi, organised by Dioguardi Lab. Among the many sites open to the public were the Rock-hewn Church of Santa Barbara and San Rocco in Casalnuovo, a symbol of interfaith dialogue, and the Bread Museum, a shared cultural heritage of Mediterranean civilisations.

The University of Basilicata contributed to the opening weekend with the “Università Svelate” initiatives, including the Urban Explorations in the Borgo La Martella and Lanera neighbourhoods as part of the FraMMET project, and the Opening Ceremony of the Academic Year for the School of Specialisation in Archaeological Heritage, featuring a lecture by Alfonsina Russo, Head of the Department for the Promotion of Cultural Heritage at the Ministry of Culture. From dawn on Sunday 22 March and throughout the morning, in the Castle Park, a tethered hot-air balloon bearing the logo of Matera, Mediterranean Capital of Culture and Dialogue 2026, offered a striking view of the city as it awoke, accompanied by a piano performance by Maestro Rocco Claudio. Over the coming months, the hot-air balloon will visit various Italian cities to promote Matera 2026.

Crucial to the success of the opening days were the partnerships with various local organisations: the Basilicata Region, the Province of Matera for the use of Palazzo Malvinni Malvezzi, where the equipment required for the laser show was installed, the Murgia Materana Park for the shows on the Murgia, the Prefecture of Matera, the National Museums of Matera for hosting the national and international institutional delegations at Palazzo Lanfranchi, and the Basilicata Tourist Board (APT Basilicata) for providing the press room at the Infopoint in Piazza Vittorio Veneto, which was available for three days to the 77 accredited journalists. The widespread presence of numerous law enforcement agencies was also crucial for security, whilst volunteers from the Open Culture 2019 Association, CNGEI and AGESCI provided support for all the initiatives.

Statements

During the official ceremony, high-profile representatives of the Italian Government and European institutions took the floor, delivering messages that highlighted the political and cultural significance of the event:

Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani highlighted the significance of the initiative in the international context: “We must seize the opportunity presented by Matera 2026 to launch new paths towards peace, dialogue and cooperation in the Mediterranean. The sea has always been a source of dialogue and exchange. My heartfelt thanks go to Matera, the Basilicata region, the business community and cultural associations, the young people and the entire population of this wonderful area. Thank you for believing in and investing in the great Matera 2026 project. The Government stands behind you.”

Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, highlighted the central role of dialogue in Euro-Mediterranean relations: “The Mediterranean Capital of Culture and Dialogue serves as an ideal bridge, particularly suited to the times we are, unfortunately, living through. The theme of dialogue is fundamental. Cities play a decisive role in this regard. Matera conveys a powerful cultural message on the international stage, as its entire history demonstrates. Between Europe and Italy, we will foster significant synergies in this regard.”

The Minister of Culture, Alessandro Giuli, described the title as of profound strategic importance for the country: “Today is a wonderful day for Matera and for Italy. The City of the Sassi takes on a title of profound strategic importance: it becomes the Capital of cultural collaboration amongst the communities of the Mediterranean koinè, of this part of the world bound by millennia of relations and exchanges, vital for the present and future of our nation. I wish Matera – ‘land immersed’, ‘stone bridge’, a place dear to the hearts of all Italians, Europeans and Mediterraneans – the success it deserves for its year as Capital. Long live Matera, long live Tetouan.”

The Minister for Institutional Reforms, Elisabetta Casellati, highlighted the value of culture as an instrument of peace: “Culture is not a luxury for times of peace: it is itself an instrument of peace. Dialogue is not a concession: it is a necessity. And Matera, with its history and its ability to transform marginality into a resource, is a credible and authoritative voice for carrying this message to the Mediterranean and beyond. The South has been portrayed as a problem. Matera reminds us that the South is a resource. A resource of beauty, history, creativity and humanity.”

The European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica, emphasised the role of the community as a driving force for transformation: “Matera stands out as an example of how much can be achieved by fostering connections between people, their spaces and their stories. This is all the more important now that the world is becoming more fragmented. Because it is only by standing together and forging genuine bonds that we can preserve what matters most to us. I hope to see the Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue initiative grow thanks to the invaluable efforts of the Union for the Mediterranean and the Anna Lindh Foundation.”

The President of the Basilicata Region, Vito Bardi, emphasised the project’s cultural diplomacy aspect: “Today is an important day. We are not merely celebrating a title, but launching a vision. The vision of a Mediterranean that embraces culture as a powerful tool for building. In this Mediterranean, riven by tensions and conflicts, two inland cities are demonstrating that dialogue is not a symbolic gesture, but a concrete choice. This is how peace is built: by connecting communities, sharing knowledge and building trust. Basilicata is ready to play its part. Matera is ready to lead the way.”

The Mayor of Matera, Antonio Nicoletti, reaffirmed the role of the South of Italy and the city as a symbol of the Mediterranean, embodying tenacity and renewal, emphasising that Matera 2026 is an inclusive and collaborative initiative aimed at citizens, the municipalities of Basilicata and the South of Italy, and national and international institutions. ‘Matera 2026 was conceived as an open space for participation and dialogue, where Europe and the Mediterranean today find an essential and highly significant meeting point. From this symbolic centre springs an energy capable of changing the course of a community and projecting itself towards the future as a concrete sign of confidence, even in difficult times such as those we are currently experiencing.’

Petra Kežman, Deputy Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean, highlighted the strategic importance of the initiative at a time of regional crisis: “The Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue are an initiative very dear to the Union for the Mediterranean. Together with the Anna Lindh Foundation, we launched it out of the conviction that culture is the very fabric of our shared civilisation, and an essential tool for peace, stability and development in our region. Matera and Tetouan are at the forefront of this narrative this year. They are not simply joint holders of a title. They are co-architects of a common endeavour.”

Josep Ferrè, Executive Director of the Anna Lindh Foundation, highlighted the participatory nature of the initiative: “Culture and dialogue are the backbone of the development and preservation of healthy societies and provide governments with a solid foundation for constructive international relations. I am particularly proud that the Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue are the result of a bottom-up approach. Matera has everything it needs to succeed in this endeavour.”

Rita Orlando, Director of the Matera Basilicata 2019 Foundation, has set out the direction for the coming year: “It seems like a paradox, but it is a revelation: Matera is the vertical archive of the Mediterranean basin, where every layer represents a civilisation, a palimpsest of Byzantine, Arab and Norman influences. Whilst coastal cities gaze towards the horizon, Matera preserves its geological and anthropological memory. Here, the Mediterranean is not merely gazed upon; it is inhabited within the layers of tuff. In 2026, we shall strive to be a route, to remind us that the Mediterranean is not a border but a bridge. It is not a line that divides but a breath that unites. Matera presents itself as the place where Europe meets Africa and the East, not for a sterile celebration of the past, but to build cultural diplomacy from the ground up, reaffirming that the South is not a periphery but a centre for the production of new paradigms, a Mediterranean centre of gravity.”