Giorgio La Pira in transnational perspective

Giorgio La Pira in transnational perspective.
Dialogue, peace and development between the 1950s and 1970s
may 28, 2025 9:30 a.m.
Seminar Room (IULM 1)

Giorgio La Pira (Pozzallo 1904-Florence 1977) was one of the most original, multifaceted and independent figures in the history of contemporary politics, culture and religion, both at the Italian and international levels.

Professor of Roman law, protagonist of the commitment to the poor, constituent, member of the Commission of 75, mayor of Florence from 1951 to 1965, president of the World Federation of United Cities, La Pira traversed the 20th century with great creative capacity and as a promoter of original forms of democratic diplomacy, often outside the box. Creator of the Conferences for Peace and Christian Civilization, a veritable springboard for interreligious dialogue, the Convention of Mayors of the World's Cities, the Mediterranean Colloquies and a thousand other initiatives for the promotion of peace and atomic disarmament, dialogue for development and the construction of a new multilateralism, La Pira moved courageously along the East-West and North-South lines in a long season marked by the Cold War. His enormous correspondence, with the leaders of the US and USSR and of developing countries, his travels to the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, highlighted a singular "glocal" reading of international relations.

With this in mind, the conference Giorgio La Pira in Transnational Perspective. Dialogue, Peace and Development between the 1950s and 1970s promoted by IULM University through the Culture and Science of Sustainability Research Center and the "Religion and the Cold War" research project of the Department of Humanities, together with theUniversitat de Barcelona, theUniversity of Perugia, the Giorgio La Pira Foundation and under the patronage of the Network of Universities for Peace, promoted by CRUI and theBlessed Dove Association. At the conference, which will be greeted by the Rector, Valentina Garavaglia, the president of the La Pira Foundation, Patrizia Giunti , and the coordinator of Runipace, Enza Pellecchia, after introductory remarks by Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti and Professors Mauro Ceruti and Guido Formigoni, some of La Pira's leading scholars will participate: Bruna Bagnato, Giovanni Cattini, Massimo De Giuseppe, Marco and Pietro Giovannoni, Elisa Giunipero, Marco Luppi, Letizia Pagliai, and Andrea Possieri.

At the end of the conference, a preview of the trailer for the docufilm The Book of Shadows, a reflection on paths to peace in the atomic age.

Download here the detailed program