The Journey of the Word, which started from the Holy See Pavilion at Expo 2015 Milan and is supported by is supported by Fondazione Pesenti has arrived in the magical setting of Ischia.
“Fondazione Pesenti embraced the enthusiasm and commitment of Marco Imperadori — Foundation Counselor and Professor at the Politecnico di Milano — and Ginette Caron, supporting the Journey of the Word through meaningful stops such as tonight’s in Ischia,” opened the presentation conference in Forio for the Arabic inscription “Man shall not live by bread alone” mounted on the Torrione of the Municipality of Forio, the most imposing and emblematic tower structure built on the island of Ischia to protect the territory.
Dating back to the mid-1400s, the Torrione was used for centuries as a lookout point to defend against Saracen attacks from the Arabian Peninsula. With this installation, it now takes on an opposite role, transforming from a symbol of defense to a cultural bridge and beacon of Italian and European civilization.
Present at the event were Grazia Torre, councilor of the order of architects of Naples and province; Stefania Danzi for Fondazione Pesenti; Alessio Pesenti from Nord Zinc; Francesco Chiavarini for Caritas Ambrosiana; Gianni Mattarese, municipal councilor of Forio; Raffaele Mirelli, president of the InSophia association and creator of the Philosophy Festival of Ischia and Naples; and above all, Michele Reginaldi of the Quattroassociati architects studio in Milan who designed the Holy See Pavilion, accompanied by the guest of honor, Ginette Caron, internationally renowned designer who conceived and curated the graphic layout of the inscriptions on the Pavilion. Giovannangelo De Angelis – President of the International Ischia Architecture Award (PIDA) – presented a preview of the new edition’s format; the interventions were introduced and coordinated by journalist Ciro Cenatiempo.
With this new relocation, the Journey of the Word reaches its 14th stage. This long itinerary, promoted by the Pontifical Council for Culture and Caritas Ambrosiana, aims to revive the Church’s message from the Universal Exposition beyond Expo itself, through the recovery of the metal letters that adorned the facades of the Holy See Pavilion and their installation in new evocative places in Italy and worldwide: from China to Guinea Bissau, from the outskirts of Milan to Favara in Sicily.
“At the end of the Universal Exposition, it was decided to revive the message of hope from the Holy See at Expo beyond the limits of space and time imposed by the international event. The destinations, which are gradually added and chosen by the project promoters, are physical spaces that testify to the presence of the Word in the concrete life of the community or that translate universal human values into reality: a youth center, a suburban church, a mission, a ghetto rescued from decay, service places for the least fortunate and places where the memory of acts of courage in tragic moments of our history lives on,” explains Luciano Gualzetti, director of Caritas Ambrosiana.
The 25 inscriptions, translated into 13 languages, feature two quotes from the Scriptures: “Man shall not live by bread alone” and “Give us this day our daily bread.”
“The characters, all white, were attached at a certain distance from the white walls of the Pavilion, so that they could be read through the shadows they cast. The inscriptions covered the entire Pavilion to recall the biblical episode of manna descending from heaven,” explains Ginette Caron. “In the new locations, we wanted to reproduce this symbolic effect as much as possible.”
"Il Viaggio della Parola" arrives at Sant'Ambrogio
The Journey of the Word continues with the support of Fondazione Pesenti
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