On the evening of Sunday, September 21, Cittadellarte celebrated the International Day of Peace with a major concert entitled "United for Peace," hosted in the Foundation's spaces and promoted in conjunction with the Network of Italian UNESCO Chairs. The event was part of the ongoing collaboration between Cittadellarte and UNESCO, which began in 2023, focusing on preventive peace education. This journey began in Paris, during the 42nd UNESCO General Assembly, with a speech by Michelangelo Pistoletto alongside Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director General for Education. In September 2024, during the 26th edition of Arte al Centro, Cittadellarte hosted the first Italian presentation of the UNESCO Recommendation on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Sustainable Development.

Yesterday evening, exactly one year after the 2024 edition, Cittadellarte renewed its commitment by hosting the closing event of the Festival Meetings—organized in collaboration with the Associazione Anima Vocalensemble and with the participation of the Accademia Suzuki Talent Center of Turin—which united the words, visions, and proposals for peace of the participating institutions through the universal language of music.

Cittadellarte Director Paolo Naldini opened the evening by inviting those present to transform individual gestures into shared action: "Let's not leave the United Nations alone: ​​we need United Actions. Let's unite schools, institutions, businesses, and families. Let's not stand by and watch; let's build the world as a shared effort, through art, music, and creativity".

Biella's Deputy Mayor and Councilor for Culture, Sara Gentile, emphasized the importance of working with younger generations: "Peace is cultivated first through art and music, in schools and with young people, the first victims of all wars, without exception. They are many small drops that together form a sea capable of countering violence and building a sustainable future".

This was followed by a speech by Michelangelo Pistoletto, who emphasized the universal value of music as a language capable of preventing war: "We need music because we only hear the din of war. Music and sport teach us to compete without destroying others. Only in this way can we educate people about Preventive Peace, starting from childhood".

Representing academic institutions was Annateresa Rondinella, head of institutional relations for the Italian UNESCO Chairs, who recalled that "wars begin in the minds of men, and it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be built." She introduced the connection with Andrea Lenzi, president of the CNR (National Research Council) and spokesperson for ReCUI. “Without knowledge, there is no trust or dialogue, and without dialogue, there is no peace”, Lenzi declared. “Art and research are universal languages ​​that unite peoples and communities. This memorandum of understanding places knowledge at the service of peace, building a global network of dialogue between peoples against all conflict”. Patrizio Bianchi, former spokesperson for the UNESCO Chairs network, also wanted to leave a message through a video contribution. Addressing maestro Michelangelo Pistoletto and recalling Article 2 of the Constitution, he emphasized how creativity itself requires peace: “There is no peace, there is no ability to build peace without this fundamental constitutional principle, the principle of solidarity, which means working together, sharing goals and hopes, even in the most difficult moments”.

After the institutional speeches, Carlo Senatore, director of the Associazione Anima Vocalensemble, explained the significance of the ten-year journey of the Festival Meetings, which has seen the participation of dozens of school orchestras and choirs: "This concert is the sailing ship of peace: its strings are made of solidarity, its hull is culture, and its destination is a port called universal brotherhood".

In closing, Antonio Mosca, founder of the Accademia Suzuki Talent Center, recalled the mission that has accompanied the school's experience for fifty years: "Music can save the world, because those who study music cannot kill. It is a bond that teaches discipline, friendship, and mutual respect, offering children who are victims of war and abuse the opportunity to grow up in peace".

During the evening, the Suzuki Academy teachers took center stage, dedicating the entire concert "to all the children who are victims of war and abuse, who cannot grow up in a safe place, surrounded by people and institutions that support them in their human and cultural development". Their thoughts went in particular to Palestinian children, "who suffer from hunger, disease, who see and experience violence and atrocities of every kind on a daily basis; children whose present and future are being destroyed".