September 21, 2026 — This weekend concluded several weeks of Civitellian participation in late summer literary festivities, among them Andrew Sean Greer (CRF 2021), Salman Rushdie (DG 2022), Isabella Hammad (CRF 2026), Lina Attalah (CRF 2026), and Paola Caridi (CRF 2021).
Santa Maddalena
Andrew Sean Greer returned to Santa Maddalena, the writers’ and botanists’ retreat in Tuscany, where he served as the first Executive Director from 2016 to 2018. Since then, he’s been in residence several times and returned on September 19th to discuss his new novel Villa Coco (Doubleday). The book is his second since he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Less in 2018.
Pordenonelegge
Civitella’s Residency Director Diego Mencaroni met Salman Rushie ahead of his appearance at Pordenonelegge, a major literary festival in Pordenone in Fruili-Venezia. Salman delivered the opening keynote address on the theme “The Languages of Truth” (linguaggi della verità), in a discussion moderated by journalist Federico Rampini, warning that freedom of speech faces severe global challenges today.
Also opening the festival, Salman received the festival’s first “Ambassador of Freedom” honor connected to the attempted assassination that almost took his life, shortly after his visit to Civitella in 2022. The honor recognizes individuals who show an extraordinary commitment to defending freedom. Festival director Michela Zin praised Rushdie as a “free conscience of our time” who made language an act of courage and proved that literature is the most radical space for freedom.
Festivaletteratura
Lina Attalah, Isabella Hammad, and Paola Caridi spoke at Festivaletteratura, the biggest literary festival in Mantova, Italy which took place September 9-13, and one of the most important in the country. Lina and Paola spoke on a panel called “LA VOCE CHE SFIDA IL REGIME” (The Voice that Challenge the Regime). Paola also participated in talks “SPEZZERANNO LE SPADE E NE FARANNO ARATRI” (They Will Break The Spades and Become Ploughs) and “GAZA TRA PASSATO E FUTURO” (Gaza Between Past and Future). Isabella spoke about theater, memory, Palestine and the search for belonging on “SHAKESPEARE AL DI LÀ DEL MURO” (Shakespeare Beyond the Wall).
