Soft Power Conference 2021: Culture and Green Transition as Post-Pandemic Drivers

The second edition of the Soft Power Conference will take place on August 30-31, 2021, in Venice, hosted at the Fondazione Cini and Ca' Foscari University. Organized by the Soft Power Club founded by Francesco Rutelli, the event focuses on cultural industry and ecological transition as tools for post-pandemic recovery. Italian Prime Minister and G20 President Mario Draghi sent a letter emphasizing that these themes are central to the multilateral agenda. Draghi highlighted Venice as a symbol of beauty and fragility, noting the government's July decision to restrict large cruise ships in the lagoon to promote sustainable tourism. Rutelli told Artribune that technology, accelerated by the pandemic, can help manage tourist flows in cities like Venice through digital tools, potentially making Venice a model for managing international digital populations. He argued that while the green transition may cause job losses and higher fuel costs, it ultimately creates more and better jobs if managed intelligently, warning against social backlash like the French gilets jaunes if the balance tips negatively. The conference will bring together institutional representatives and experts to discuss environmental transition and culture's role in recovery.