A nomad, a wanderer that's how Giuseppe Ungaretti called himself: a "born elsewhere" son of migrants, he expatriate himself in Brazil, in São Paulo, from '37 to '42.An exemplary figure that brings together in itself the loyalty to a country, to a homeland, to a tradition, but at the same time reinterprets and merges men, countries and different cultures into a supranational identity and tradition.

Cultural nomadism, identity and disidentity, the language of exile will be some of the themes of the international conference held from 6 to 8 February at Sapienza, in which scholars and writers and artists will confront and bring their experience of "born elsewhere".Among them there are many writers, artists, intellectuals and scholars who, like Ungaretti, have chosen places, cultures and languages different from their homeland, contributing to the diffusion and fusion of ideas, values and experiences. Their testimonies enhance both their local and national diversities and specificities, as well as their roots, origins and common characteristics, which foster growth, development and peace. Values that today can counteract the irrationalist tendencies of those who hate the different, of those who fear the other and think of safeguarding their own particularism by raising walls.

On Thursday, which is going to be fully focused on the figure of Ungaretti, after the screening of videos dedicated to him, David Riondino will read some passages of the poet.The last day of the conference, dedicated to the writers who adopt for their works both the language of the country of election and that of origin, there will be the testimony of Helena Janeczek, German author, winner of the 2018 witch prize with the novel "The girl with the Leica".

The conference is organized by the Roma Sapienza Foundation - Giuseppe Ungaretti Foundation.