On Tuesday, March 24 at 3:30 PM, the Conference Hall of Palazzo Brunner-Segré in Aquileia (province of Udine) will host the first public event of the project “From Salento to Aquileia”, promoted by the Fondazione La Notte della Taranta and the Fondazione Aquileia, in collaboration with the Apulia Region, the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, and the Union of Folklore Groups of FVG.

The meeting, titled “Intangible Heritage, Traditions and Historical Sources: Methodological Perspectives in Dialogue”, represents the project’s first public initiative and is conceived as a laboratory of ideas aimed at fostering critical exchange among scholars and practitioners on methodological and interpretative issues. The afternoon session outlines the research framework within which the initiative is situated, seeking to explore the conditions under which different cultural heritages—such as pizzica-pizzica and the furlana—may be related in a scientifically grounded way. The discussion focuses on the relationship between historical sources and intangible heritage, the plurality of analytical levels (including ritual, choreutic practice, folkloric tradition, and contemporary processes of transmission), and the comparison between different territorial contexts, such as Salento and Friuli, characterized by distinct documentary resources, cultural practices, and heritage safeguarding models.

The event will open with institutional greetings by the Mayor of Aquileia, Emanuele Zorino; the President of the Fondazione Aquileia, Roberto Corciulo; the Regional Councillor for Finance of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Barbara Zilli; the Vice President of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region and Councillor for Culture, Mario Anzil; Simone Silvi, member of the Board of the Fondazione La Notte della Taranta; and Claudio Degano, President of the Union of Folklore Groups of FVG. The project introduction will be delivered, on behalf of the Fondazione La Notte della Taranta, by Fanny Bortone, PhD candidate in Local Development Governance at the University of Salento.

The first session, chaired by Professor Daniela Castaldo, Full Professor of Music History at the University of Salento and President of the Scientific Committee of the Fondazione La Notte della Taranta, will feature a round table on research hypotheses and perspectives, with contributions from scholars and experts from different disciplinary fields. Speakers include: Gabriele Pelizzari — philologist and theologian (University of Milan), on “The Origins of Christianity in the Ancient Adriatic: New Research Perspectives between Historiographical Innovation and Methodological Debate”; Alessio Screm — PhD in Musicology (University of Udine), on “A Brief History of the Furlana: Form or Manner?”; Valter Colle — visual anthropologist, on “Friulian Perspectives”; Luisa Cossio — dancer of the Folklore Group “Danzerini Udinesi,” on “Folklore Groups and Cultural Associations as Mediators between Academic Research and Younger Generations”; Placida Staro —ethnomusicologist and ethnochoreologist, on “The Graceful Dance: Iconic Elements and Symbolism of the ‘Furlane’ from Street Dance to Performance”; and Fredy Franzutti — choreographer of the Fondazione La Notte della Taranta, on “Dances, Rituals and Evolutions: Transformations and Transmission of Folk Choreutic Practices.”

The second session, moderated by ethnomusicologist and ethnochoreologist Placida Staro, will be devoted to discussion and debate on the issues raised, with the aim of initiating a shared research path and identifying possible future developments, including laboratory activities and applied research.