The 15th edition of Floracult took place in Rome from 24 to 26 April 2026; between nature and culture, I Casali del Pino hosted discussions on what it means to be human, featuring expert opinions, publications, works of art, and the perspective of the younger generations – our MAIREmpower students.

From 24 to 26 April 2026, the picturesque setting of “I Casali del Pino” (in the heart of Rome’s Veio Park) hosted, as is tradition, the 15th edition of Floracult, the iconic Italian trade fair dedicated to nature, biodiversity and sustainability, which each year brings culture and nature together in dialogue. 

This edition, with the theme “Green Hope”, took a step further: an invitation to view the future as a shared responsibility – not a passive waiting game, but a concrete aspiration, founded on knowledge, care and relationships.

This was the setting for the encounter and exchange between the voices of different generations and artistic expression: “Becoming Human”. Giacomo Bianchi, President of Arte Sella, opened the debate and introduced the guests. The discussion centered on writing, art and the curiosity of the younger generations – an unconventional dialogue, inspired and guided by the magic that can only be found at Floracult.

Vittorio Gallese, a neuroscientist, and Ugo Morelli, a lecturer in cognitive science, have proposed – through the book “Cosa significa essere umani? Corpo, cervello e relazione per vivere nel presente” (“What does it mean to be human? Body, brain and relationship for living in the present”) – a reinterpretation of what it means to be human in the light of the latest research in neuroscience and the human sciences, placing the body and relationships at the center as the fundamental conditions of experience and knowledge.

The book’s contents were explored not through a presentation, but through dialogue with the younger generation: the discussion was sparked by 14 questions prepared and posed by students from our MAIREmpower summer school. Through a careful reading of the text and various moments of discussion – amongst themselves, with us and with the initiative’s organizers – the students explored identity, relationships, empathy and collective responsibility, distilling their reflections into the questions they then put to the experts, actively engaging themselves during the meeting.

The dialogue and reflections were accompanied by carefully selected photographs and videos depicting the artistic works of Arte Sella – a special place where the space and time of nature and art nourish one another, and the hope for a generative coexistence between humanity and nature takes shape in a research project.

Once again this year, Floracult proved to be the perfect setting for fulfilling our mission: to put young people at the center, offering them genuine opportunities to meet, listen to and engage in dialogue with the cultural, scientific and artistic worlds, to help them become conscious agents of the change that the times – and the energy transition – demand.

For the MAIREmpower students, this gathering was much more than a cultural event. New tools for interpreting the present and insights to guide future choices, as part of the broader mentoring program included in phase II of the MAIREmpower project. And a ‘homecoming’ to the venue – ‘I Casali del Pino’ – which hosted part of their summer school last July.

To discover more about  the summer school and MAIREmpower project: MAIREmpower Summer School: a journey of discovery into human values... | Fondazione

To relive our experience at Floracult 2025, with EvolveArt: Nature, art, and sustainability: FloraCult makes the perfect scenar... | Fondazione