Dante as a Prophet of Hope: A Multimedial Exhibition Journey

On Monday, March 18th at 6 PM in the Sala dei Baroni at Castel Nuovo in Naples, the presentation of the event 'My Hell - Dante as a Prophet of Hope' will take place. 'This is not just another scholarly or popular exhibition about Dante Alighieri. When we envisioned it, we had a clear purpose: to ensure that young people passionately approach reading the Divine Comedy, finding in it a fundamental contribution to their human and spiritual growth.' This is the declared goal with which the Rivela Association, (which organizes traveling exhibitions on historical, artistic, and social themes, with the intent of enhancing their cultural and religious significance) in collaboration with Dante scholar Franco Nembrini and the Diocese of Verona, conceived the project 'Dante as a Prophet of Hope', which consists of three multimedia exhibitions: My Hell, My Purgatory, and My Paradise. They add: 'It is about facing the verses of Dante's Inferno with one's own existential questions open, in search of a full meaning for life. In this way, Dante becomes a prophet of hope, that is, a credible and contemporary interlocutor, capable with his words and concrete examples of confronting us with our desire for happiness.' The traveling exhibition, organized in more than 40 panels, features content from Franco Nembrini and illustrations by Gabriele Dell'Otto, from the edition of the Comedy published by Mondadori between 2018 and 2021. The involvement of young people involves concrete interaction, designed not to have them participate as mere visitors, but to be the active guides of the exhibition, and thus the first protagonists of the encounter with Dante. Their participation is implemented mainly through specific training included in the Cross-Curricular Competency Paths and Orientation (Pcto) of high schools, but also through associations, parishes, and cultural centers. The training involved 84 girls and boys from five classes of the high schools Margherita di Savoia, Sacro Cuore, and Vittorio Emanuele II - Garibaldi in Naples, who will take on the role of cultural guide during the exhibition, and in Battipaglia all the third-year classes of the scientific high school Enrico Medi. By initiative of the Giovanni Marco Calzone Aps Association, in collaboration with the research group of the Naples Dante Project of the University of Naples Federico II, the exhibition will be hosted in Naples from April 4th to 19th in the Basilica of San Francesco di Paola in Piazza del Plebiscito and in Battipaglia (Sa) from April 22nd to May 3rd in the Municipal Lounge. In Naples, the exhibition will be open from 9 AM to 12 PM and from 4 PM to 7 PM every day (info and reservations at https://danteprofetadisperanza.it/tutti-gli-eventi/il-mio-inferno-napoli/). In Battipaglia, from Monday to Saturday from 9:30-12:30 AM and from Monday to Friday from 4:00-7:30 PM (info and reservations are at https://danteprofetadisperanza.it/tutti-gli-eventi/il-mio-inferno-battipaglia-sa/). The initiative is sponsored by the Campania Region, the City of Naples, the City of Battipaglia, the Department of Humanities of the University of Naples 'Federico II', the Archdiocese of Naples, the Archdiocese of Salerno-Campagna-Acerno, Diesse Campania, the Forum for Family Associations of Campania and the Forum of young people of Battipaglia. Two presentation meetings are planned. In Battipaglia, on Sunday 17th at 7 PM, in the Municipal Lounge, with the presence of Franco Nembrini and with readings by the actor Giuliano del Gaudio. In Naples, the meeting will take place on Monday 18th at 6 PM in the Sala dei Baroni with interventions by Franco Nembrini, educator and Dante scholar, and Prof. Gennaro Ferrante, professor of Italian Philology at Federico II.