Our poetic challenge has concluded: the exploratory journey into the soul of Giuseppe Ungaretti’s verses has yielded an extraordinary result!

We sincerely thank all 286 authors who, with their sensitivity, were able to evoke an echo of the poet-soldier’s unmistakable style and passionately interpret his poetry.

The contest received almost 300 poetic submissions, confirming the importance and relevance of Giuseppe Ungaretti’s work even beyond Italian borders! One-third of the submitted poems came from 36 different countries around the world: from Asia and South America to the closer Slovenia, Croatia, and Austria.

Each poem demonstrated a profound understanding of the soldier-poet’s work, offering new interpretations of his most cherished themes.

The activities will give rise to a photographic-poetic publication where the authorial project of Gianpaolo Arena will dialogue with the selected poems, and will be enriched by texts by Angelo Floramo; a photographic-poetic exhibition and presentation event within the Trieste Photo Days 2025; an audio-video document with interviews with the project’s protagonists and footage of the historical places linked to Ungaretti to raise public awareness of historical memory and the value of poetry.

“Beyond Words” is part of the GO! 2025 programme, which celebrates Nova Gorica and Gorizia as European Capital of Culture, underscoring the universal value of Ungaretti’s poetry in promoting dialogue, peace, and unity.

“Beyond Words” is realized with the support of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region – Io Sono Friuli Venezia Giulia, with the partnership of the Municipality of Sagrado, the Municipality of Santa Maria La Longa, the Associazione Amici di Castelnuovo (Friends of Castelnuovo Association), the Circolo Fotografico Friulano (Friulian Photographic Circle), and Zavod Alma Ars / Alma Medana.

The project benefits from the collaboration of photographer Gianpaolo Arena; the consultation of Angelo Floramo, academic, historian, medievalist, and scientific advisor of the Guarneriana Library of San Daniele del Friuli; and the participation of photographer Vincenzo Labellarte, winner of the CRAF FVG award in 2024 and artistic consultant of the Trieste Photo Days. Partnerships: Associazione Milanofestivaletteratura, Fondazione Mario Luzi (Mario Luzi Foundation), and Erreics onlus.