Dear Cortona friends
Unfortunately, no good news from me. I am actually very sad to have to announce to you the total cancellation of the Cortona week 2025.
I imagine that this is a shock for most of you, as it was for me and Carlo Ventura, the new director of the Cortona week. A series of unexpected conditions have obliged us to take this step.
First of all, the problem of finances : the Corton week, as run until now, reimburses room and board as well as travel expenses to all speakers and workshop leaders, and this, also because of the economic situation in Europe and Italy in particular, became unsustainable. Until now we have covered these expenses with the fees of the registration (1000 euro for students, 1500 euro for non-students) -fees which could not be further increased. Even so, we had a relatively low number of registrations. In turn, this low number is due to a general problem in Academia: the lack of interest of most students (and most of their professors?) in this era of dominant consumerism, for the values of trans-disciplinarity and ethics.
Of course, this is one more reason why communities like the Cortona friends are necessary and actually very important for our brave new world, and we will continue our fight. However, we believe that a pause for reflection on the organization of the Cortona week is necessary for its survival.
There are also some more technical problems with the hosting hotel, which I do not wish to elaborate, and the state of health of Pier Luigi in these previous months, but we do not need to go into such details, it would not change the situation.
My deepest apologies go to all our formidable speakers and workshop leaders who with great enthusiasm had answered positively to our invitation – it was indeed a formidable program. And also deepest thanks to Federico Faggin, who was ready, also this time, to financially support one dozen American students to come to Italy. But all this richness will be present in the next Cortona event, whose form is now in debate. You may all of course contribute, only consider that in its 40 years of life, the Cortona-week has seen the advice of so many excellent minds. The main problem is the lack of one or more sponsors.
You will be informed of all news, including of course the new edition of our work (2026?)
Luigi and Carlo