Carlo Collodi bicentenary commemorations in Italy

Events in Italy are being held to commemorate the bicentenary of the birth of Carlo Lorenzini, known as Carlo Collodi, the author of Pinocchio.

In Rome, the ninth edition of the ‘Di La’ Dal Fiume’ festival is scheduled from August 23 to September 14, 2026. Directed by Lorenzo Ciccarelli, the festival explores the connection between art and childhood through eleven events, including readings, concerts, and film screenings, across various locations such as the CAE and the Marcigliana Nature Reserve.

In Florence, commemorations include integrated exhibitions at the Biblioteca Marucelliana and the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze. These displays feature unpublished documents, original illustrations, and biographical documentaries. Additionally, an international conference titled ‘Favola e fiaba nell’Ottocento: il caso Collodi’ is set for September 26 to examine the intercultural interpretations of Pinocchio’s story.

Further commemorations include an exhibition at the University of Siena titled ‘Un burattino in battaglia. Collodi in marcia con UniSi e le terrecotte di Marco Bonechi’. Running from September 18 to October 30, 2026, the display at the Rectorate building features terracotta sculptures by Marco Bonechi that reinterpret Collodi’s characters and highlights the author’s historical connection to the university during the Battle of Curtatone and Montanara in 1848.

In Bitonto, the ninth edition of the Oltre Lirica Music Festival has introduced ‘Collodi 200’, a series of educational workshops supported by the University of Bari Aldo Moro. These sessions, held at the Officine Culturali di Bitonto and the ‘Galileo Galilei’ Scientific and Artistic High School, are designed to help primary and secondary students explore the author’s literary universe.