CocCogito – Festival della Filosofia in Collina
Cocconato's philosophy festival: a Sunday in May of talks by philosophers, writers and historians in the Cortile del Collegio, with a few days of philosophy workshops for local schoolchildren beforehand.
Why it's special
Big ideas in a small courtyard. The speakers are serious (in 2026 the philosopher Ilaria Gaspari, the historian Carlo Greppi and Matteo Saudino of Barbasophia), the talks are short, and the day ends with an 'apericena filosofica'. It's put on by the Comune and the village's Biblioteca Civica Eugenio Rocca.
Programme · 2026
4th edition, 'Legàmi. Noi siamo relazioni', Cortile del Collegio 3. Hosted by Gianfranco Ruscalla, philosophy teacher.
- The talks are in the Cortile del Collegio and move into the Salone Comunale if it rains.
- Booking for the closing apericena is appreciated at biblioteca@cocconato.info.
CocCogito brings philosophy to a hill village. Each May since 2023 the Comune and the Biblioteca Civica Eugenio Rocca have brought philosophers, writers and historians to the Cortile del Collegio for an afternoon of short talks around a theme. In 2026 the theme was 'Legàmi', bonds and relationships. In the days before, the festival goes into the local schools with philosophy workshops for children and a short-story competition for students, and the prizes are given out on festival day.
See what else is on in Cocconato.
Past editions
| Year | Dates | Programme |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Sunday 24 May 2026, from 15:00 (school preview 21–22 May) | 4th edition, 'Legàmi. Noi siamo relazioni', Cortile del Collegio 3. Hosted by Gianfranco Ruscalla, philosophy teacher. 15:00 – 'Legàmi costituzionali', Matteo Saudino, artistic director (Barbasophia) 15:45 – 'Lezioni di felicità', Ilaria Gaspari, philosopher and writer 16:45 – 'Canto per Uno', Valentina Diana, author, poet and playwright, with guitarist Enrico Negro 18:15 – 'Sono le persone che fanno la storia', Carlo Greppi, writer and historian 19:00 – Close with Barbasophia and an 'apericena filosofica'; art installations and food points through the afternoon Preview, 'CocCogito va a scuola' – Thu 21 May, 'I bambini albero', a philosophy workshop for primary schools with Giorgia Vezzoli; Fri 22 May, 'La Costituzione siamo noi' for secondary schools with Matteo Saudino; first short-story competition 'Gli studenti raccontano', with prizes given at the festival |
| 2025 | Sunday 25 May 2025 | Festival della Filosofia, 10:00–18:00. |
| 2024 | Sunday 26 May 2024 | CocCogito – Festival della Filosofia in Collina. |
| 2023 | 6–7 May 2023 | 'Festival di Filosofia in Collina – Attraversare il cambiamento', Cortile del Collegio 3. From 15:30 both days – Talks and meetings, moderated by Gianfranco Ruscalla |