The Dedica Festival differs from most other festivals in that the literary discussion focuses on a single author, giving the public the possibility of gaining a deeper knowledge of his or her work at events which feature a variety of artistic languages and expressions. Over the two weeks of the festival, events include conversations, performances, conferences and music, all aimed at providing an organic understanding of the work, the thoughts and the world of the author.
The protagonist of this twentieth edition is the French-Moroccan writer Tahar Ben Jelloun.
“Writing between two different cultures: a double-edged view of the world.”
This is the theme of this year’s festival, which is dedicated to a writer who, thanks to his personal experiences, which benefited from the simultaneous contact with two very different cultures, observes the reality of the world from different viewpoints which give him a broader perspective. For Ben Jelloun, identity should not be seen in a narrow sense, but simply as a strong link to one’s roots. “Cultures”, states Ben Jelloun, “are complementary. It is their differences that contribute to the enrichment of the heritage of civilization”. His literary work provides tangible evidence of this view: the cultural traditions and the spirituality of the Arab peoples with which he was raised impregnate the French language in which he has chosen to express his inner self, which gives his writings a rhythm and a depth that are totally innovative in the contemporary literary world.
The Dedica project, conceived and coordinated by the Thesis Cultural Association, is sponsored by numerous institutions and public agencies, and in particular by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Autonomous Region, the Friuli Venezia Giulia Tourism Board, the Municipality of Pordenone, the Province of Pordenone and the CRUP Foundation, and with the support of a number of private enterprises: Coop Consumatori Nordest, Acqua Dolomia-Sorgente Valcimoliana S.r.l., Finanziaria Internazionale, FriulAdria Crédit Agricole, UnipolSai Assicurazioni (Pordenone branch) with Assicoop (Udine branch) and Venchiaredo.
The Festival dedicated to Tahar Ben Jelloun has been awarded the Silver Medal by the President of the Republic.