Translated automatically by AI from the Italian original.
SYRACUSE / MURATPAŞA (TURKEY) – Syracuse and Muratpaşa: two distinct places united by a shared challenge, that of turning historic centres into living spaces open to participation and focused on young people. With this spirit, the Syracuse association Le Interferenze took part in cultural exchange activities in Muratpaşa, Turkey, during the Kaleiçi Old Town Festival, an international showcase dedicated to enhancing ancient cities worldwide, part of the Erasmus+ programme.
The initiative received strong institutional support from the honorary general consul of Turkey in Sicily, Domenico Romeo (in his role as president of the Sicily-Turkey Friendship Association and through the contribution guaranteed during the festival by the Turkey-based representative, Ayse Serifoglu), and from the mayor of Muratpaşa, Ümit Uysal, with the aim of strengthening transnational dialogue and cooperation between the two communities.
Ortigia and Kaleiçi: the Archimedes Festival model to bring historic districts to life
Representing the Syracuse association was its full board, made up of president Edda Cancelliere, Maria José Occhipinti and Daniela Occhipinti, along with a delegation of members. During the mobility activities, president Cancelliere presented the Archimedes Festival, the long-running multidisciplinary event included in the Region of Sicily’s calendar of major tourist events, which has enlivened Ortigia’s historic centre every first week of July since 2012.
The festival – which blends science, art, music, theatre, dance, sport and technology – aims to rediscover Archimedes as a global symbol of innovation and curiosity:
“A historic centre must not just be a place to preserve or visit. It must be a living place. We need to create spaces where young people can express themselves, artists can create new experiences and communities can take an active part in cultural life. This is the vision that unites the Syracuse experience with that of Kaleiçi.”
— Edda Cancelliere, President of the Le Interferenze association
International exchange and future cooperation
The Erasmus+ mobility provided a valuable opportunity to compare cultural management practices, strengthen associative networks and lay the groundwork for future joint projects.
“The most precious outcome of a mobility is not what we bring home, but the bonds we manage to create with the people we meet. Culture’s role is to build bridges between communities and generations, turning the memory of places into a resource for the present and the future.”
— Edda Cancelliere, President of the Le Interferenze association
The Syracuse association’s goal is now to extend the Archimedes Festival model by building a solid network between municipalities and cultural bodies in Europe and beyond, focused on the social and tourist revival of art cities.
