Committed to human rights in the streets of Mondovì: Seven in Thebes: Creativity as an antidote to war

ACT IV

LYou learn water from thirst.

The earth, from the oceans crossed.

Joy, from pain.

Peace, from battle stories.

Emily Dickinson

In Seven Against Thebes, Aeschylus recounts the eve of battle. Outside the walls, Polynices, the enemy army, deploys seven warriors, and inside, Eteocles, the king, must defend. The war is not shown on stage, but is told through the images imprinted on the warriors' shields. What is celebrated is not physical prowess, but the richness of the imagery: a richer, more detailed relief will prevail over a smooth, flat shield. Humans have always employed their creativity in countless ways, and war is a particularly fertile field: we see armor on display in museums that we readily call "beautiful." The same happens today with the latest drone, tank, and missile models. But there have been times when our creativity has allowed us to escape the shackles of habit, offering us an alternative to violence: at the end of the seventeenth century, the Japanese not only refused to use firearms, but didn't even manufacture them, because the rifle eliminated any possibility of the duel remaining a dance, an art. It seemed unthinkable to go back a few years, yet it was possible, in the name of talent and creativity.

THE REVIEW COMMITTED TO RIGHTS IN THE STREET

The festival is organized as part of the "Impegnati nei diritti" (Committed to Rights) call. The CRC Foundation considers the protection and promotion of rights a fundamental pillar of individual and collective well-being. This approach stems from the idea that rights should not be organized in a hierarchy, but rather recognized broadly and critically, because each of them contributes to building more just, inclusive, and aware communities. At the same time, discussing rights means acknowledging a collective responsibility: fighting to gain new ones and protecting those we already have. The performances are produced in collaboration with POEM | Multimedia Evoked Potentials and are taken care of Gabriele Vacis, Roberto Tarasco, the actresses and actors of the PoEM theatre company and the participation of local associations and institutions. In particular, the third event will see the participation of KING'S SCALA APS andSAN MICHELE MONDOVI COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL.