From 24 to 28 June, three municipalities will host the eighth edition of Agorà’s festival, spanning architecture, infrastructure and new urban economies
The festival that turns youth participation into an active space for debate returns, with civic engagement and participation becoming concrete tools for cultural and territorial regeneration. From 24 to 28 June, Borgo Valsugana, Levico Terme and Pergine Valsugana will host the eighth edition of Trentino 2060, the festival promoted by the cultural association Agorà and dedicated this year to the theme “Borders. Designing the Future”. Its aim is to broaden the dialogue between territories and citizens, while exploring the relationship between cities and inland areas.
Trentino 2060 was launched in 2019 as a series of conferences and, since 2021, has evolved into a multidisciplinary festival capable of attracting leading national voices in the fields of justice, politics and economics. The name itself, Trentino 2060, points to the time horizon within which the current generation will have made much of its contribution to society. It is a perspective, almost a warning, that invites reflection on how to measure the actions that will shape the future of our communities and territories. The 2026 edition focuses on the concept of the border, explored in its many forms: from geopolitical borders and new international balances, to digital and conceptual boundaries linked to knowledge and artificial intelligence, through to the divide between urban areas and rural territories, which are often drained of talent and resources. The border thus becomes a shared space, a place of relationship and exchange between cultures and territories.
The programme. The opening event, “Shaping Border Territories”, will be led by architect Mario Cucinella at the Teatro Comunale in Pergine Valsugana. The conference will explore the relationship between cities and inland areas, analysing how the depopulation of border territories affects urban life, and vice versa. It will examine architectural and urban planning strategies capable of fostering a productive dialogue between urban centres and peripheral areas, where the stitching together of territorial fabrics and the enhancement of smaller settlements become essential elements for greater sustainability and social cohesion.
At Palazzo Termale in Levico Terme, the event “Infrastructure: A Promise of the Future” will feature Enrico Giovannini, former Minister of Infrastructure and co-founder of the Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development. The seminar will examine how the quality of infrastructural connections between inland and urban areas affects the health and prosperity of communities, with economic, social and environmental implications.
In Borgo Valsugana, in Piazza Degasperi, the focus will shift to economic dynamics with Tito Boeri, Professor of Economics at Bocconi University. The discussion will address the tensions between urban centres, which act as catalysts for talent and innovation, and rural territories, which often struggle to offer opportunities and risk losing skilled population. The debate will explore tools and policies to stimulate new urban economies, strengthen territorial resilience and enhance local resources.
Alongside the conferences, the festival will include working groups and networking opportunities designed to turn ideas and reflections into concrete opportunities for collaboration between administrations, operators and investors. It will be an opportunity to understand and design the future of Trentino, exploring the links between geographical, social and conceptual borders, between cities and inland areas, while encouraging the creation of innovative strategies for sustainable, equitable and participatory development.
Cover image: Trentino 2060, 2025 edition © Trentino 2060
