Roma Ristart: A Debate on Creative Regeneration to Overcome City's Gloom

Amid a lackluster electoral campaign and a crisis of identity, Rome is attempting to spark creative regeneration through a public debate titled "Ristart." The event, scheduled for Sunday, May 22, 2016, at the former Dogana di San Lorenzo (Via dello Scalo San Lorenzo, 10), will gather intellectuals, administrators, scholars, artists, street artists, associations, and urban planners. Moderated by writer Christian Raimo, the roundtable "Cultura è Capitale" aims to address the city's cultural decline and explore ways to rebuild a shared identity. The discussion draws inspiration from Milan's successful pre-Expo branding project, showcased at the Triennale in 2014. The event will also feature a screening of Gianfranco Rosi's film dedicated to Renato Nicolini, a key cultural figure in Rome's history. The initiative seeks to counteract the city's low self-esteem and lack of strategic vision, emphasizing the need to reclaim pride and desire as foundations for a new Renaissance.