FROM 8 JUNE TO 8 OCTOBER THE EXHIBITION «HUMAN RIGHTS? #DIGNITY»
INTERVIEW WITH THE CURATOR ROBERTO RONCA

On June 8th the exhibition «Human Rights? #Dignity» opens at the Fondazione Campana Dei Caduti. It was created by Debora Salardi and Roberto Ronca who is also the artistic director and will remain open until October 8th. We asked Ronca why he decided to use visual art as the medium through which to promote peace and fight poverty. «Through art, created and enjoyed – he explained – people can express their emotions, share their stories and create a sense of community. Art can also be used to raise public awareness of social problems and to promote change. Precisely for this reason in this edition Human Rights asked artists from all over the world to focus on Goal 1 of the United Nations 2030 Agenda which aims to "eradicate poverty in all its forms everywhere in the world". Everyone must be guaranteed a minimum economic and social subsistence that allows them to maintain an adequate quality of life with regard to food, health, education and environment. In a word, dignity. This is why in 2024 Human Rights? has the tag “Dignity”».

The dignity of every human being, that is, the value that every man possesses for the simple fact of being man and existing, is what makes a person a unique and one-of-a-kind individual. The value of individual existence is therefore the authentic foundation of human dignity. But how does this become action?

We are all aware that situations of extreme poverty exist and that there are entire nations whose citizens live in conditions of total and continuous poverty. Changing your destiny, especially if you are born in these places, is not easy. The 2030 agenda examines this very clearly, bringing concrete, real and dramatic facts and numbers. In developing areas, one in five people still lives on less than $1.25 a day, and there are millions who earn even less. Poverty generates not only hunger and malnutrition, but also limited access to education and other basic services, discrimination and social exclusion, as well as a lack of participation in decision-making processes. Economic growth must be inclusive, with the aim of creating sustainable jobs and promoting equality. The fight against poverty is an important commitment that concerns everyone. We all have a responsibility towards a fair redistribution of resources. It could happen to anyone, at any time, to find themselves in conditions of poverty and difficulty.

What role can art play?

In this event CreActivity, the company that coordinates and manages the project, asked the artists to raise public awareness, prompt reflection and promote a profound sense of community and belonging, by depicting unexpected and in no way ordinary images that are real and immediate. The concepts that accompany the works are incisive and should inspire reflection in the public. As in every edition of «Human Rights? » it follows its creative vocation in wanting to not only expose inequalities and social injustices but also, and above all, show the hope and commitment related to the real possibilities of recovering from them. The event therefore focuses more on goals, for only with a strong sense of community and the desire for real change can this world succeed in advancing the destinies of those who, due to birth or unfortunate events, have not had the possibility of a life with dignity. We have entrusted the artists with the difficult but fundamental task of showing everyone how to concretely move towards a more equal society.

Theo Hues, «Why? », (Germany)

Elena Vichi, «La sete», (Italy)

Madeleine Wories, «Allow Us Our Dignity», (Netherlands/USA)

Nobxhiro Santana, «#240314-03 “Expectations from the equinoctial shore” », (Japan)

Petr Vlach, «Constant adaptation to changes», (Czech Republic)