The World in Florence 2022
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Theme: Celebrating Diversity
Introduction
The second edition of The World in Florence took place from November 16–18, 2022, continuing the journey begun in 2021. Conceived as an international festival of territorial narration, it brought together young people, universities, institutions, and local communities from all over the world. The event strengthened the role of cultural heritage as a tool for intercultural dialogue, mutual understanding, and peacebuilding.
Theme of the Edition
The 2022 edition, titled “Celebrating Diversity”, focused on the essential role of communities in interpreting and narrating their own heritage. Participants were invited to reflect on how different cultural identities can coexist, enrich each other, and inspire new forms of responsible tourism and social cohesion.
Highlights
Launch of the Luoghi Parlanti® (Talking Places) project: a digital and participatory tool enabling communities to narrate their heritage directly, giving voice to places through the stories of their people.
International conference sessions structured around three thematic areas:
Sustainability and the Future of Tourism – exploring post-pandemic challenges and opportunities.
Heritage and Communities – emphasizing community-led interpretation and engagement.
Education and Training – developing new skills for the next generation of cultural narrators.
Exhibitions, presentations, and cultural performances involving students and professionals from diverse backgrounds.
Program
The program featured keynote speeches, academic presentations, roundtables, and multimedia exhibitions. Special attention was given to showcasing community-driven narratives that highlighted the value of diversity in cultural heritage.
Key Speakers & Contributions
The 2022 edition hosted leading voices such as Francesco Bandarin (former UNESCO), who offered a keynote on cultural diversity as a driver for peace; Andrew Potts, Coordinator of the Climate Heritage Network, who explored the links between cultural heritage and climate action; and Isabelle Anatole-Gabriel (UNESCO), who addressed policy challenges in safeguarding heritage. Scholars, mayors, and cultural operators from across the world joined round tables on the role of communities in interpreting their own heritage.
Participating Countries
Delegations came from over 30 countries, including:
Australia · Azerbaijan · Bahrain · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Bulgaria · Burundi · Cameroon · China · Croatia · Czech Republic · El Salvador · Georgia · Greece · Hungary · India · Indonesia · Italy · Japan · Kazakhstan · Kosovo · Kyrgyzstan · Lithuania · Madagascar · Mexico · Morocco · Nigeria · Poland · Romania · Russia · Slovakia · Sri Lanka · Taiwan · Ukraine · USA
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Watch videos from the event on our YouTube channel
