He expected more, much more, from the latest edition of the Gavoi festival "L'Isola delle storie" which, at least on paper, was dedicated to his father Giorgio. Instead, Federica Todde, daughter of the writer and intellectual (and ophthalmologist) from Cagliari, who founded the festival and was its president, was disappointed . Last summer's appointments were also supposed to serve as a reminder of him, who passed away on July 29, 2020. So, at least, it was announced. Instead nothing. For this Federica has decided to write a letter to the writer Marcello Fois, guide of the events of Gavoi. He thought about it for months. And here is his thought.
Dear Marcello,
when I learned that the Gavoi Festival would be held last year, I proceeded to organize a visit to the Festival with my family and some friends, to which I feel connected above all by the memories of my father's experience as first President and among the founders. I really appreciated the organizers' decision to dedicate this year's event to him, as well as the reported intentions of remembering him with readings from his books and spaces dedicated to him.
With my participation in the event, with real regret and also with amazement, I was able to ascertain that none of the above occurred: no reading, no space dedicated to him, but only and exclusively the attestation of the dedication of the Festival to Giorgio Todde, contained in some local newspaper.
The disappointment was aggravated by having noticed that in this year's Festival there were several empty spaces in the succession of events, so much so that a musical premise was often inserted into the meetings, with the participation of emerging musicians from the Sassari Conservatory.
Evidently this was the intention, or rather this was the intention of the President, namely to dedicate the Festival abstractly but not effectively to Giorgio Todde.
On one occasion, during the presentation of some guests at Sant'Antiocru, you said "I am the president and I do whatever the hell I want" and "I am a President Dictator". Well, these sentences of yours have definitely convinced me to write this letter.
Dad probably wouldn't have liked it, but I accept the risk, not being able to stop at a trial and analysis of his intentions; perhaps he would have done it in another way, but everyone has their limits and I couldn't do otherwise. Moreover, I have learned that it is not always healthy to appear superior and to silence one's disappointment, even if, like my father, I feel modesty about feelings, which made me reflect and decide to publish when several months have passed since the Festival.
On the other hand, I am certain, knowing my father deeply, that, hypothetically, with roles reversed, he would have acted motivated by the obligation of gratitude, without feeling any effort. The only reminder of the absence of a person who has shared the hardships
linked to the creation and organization of the foundations on which the Festival stands to this day, would certainly have made him enthusiastic.
Memory is important, the motivations and ideas that led you to create the Festival are important, as well as dissecting them, with the belief that first there is the idea and the goal and then there are the people who, if not more present, they must have the opportunity to continue to express themselves. It is also done for the many people who followed and appreciated him; people cannot be obscured without any plausible reason, even dictators often cannot be forgiven. It seemed to me an extremely dutiful acknowledgment of the fact that my father contributed not a little to giving direction and direction to the continuation of the cultural life of the Festival. His "activism without protagonisms", in the sense of working for the diffusion of culture in its broadest meaning and of thought, without having the ambition to present himself at any cost and by any means to general attention, should be the example for everyone, and would have also allowed due recognition and due remembrance to be shown on the occasion of the last Festival.
The writer from Nuoro, contacted, seems displaced by this controversy against him: «What can I say», he replies, «his father would have telephoned me, instead she writes letters to the newspapers. I do not understand her. But I know that children disregard their parents. I see bad faith», adds Fois, «and whoever writes must accept the consequences». What kind? "We'll see," he concludes.
(Unioneonline/E.Fr.)
