Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies at Lucca Comics & Games 2025 – Comics, Memory and Rights: From Dictatorship to Resistance, the Ninth Art as a Tool for Civic Engagement
The 2025 edition of Lucca Comics & Games concluded with great success, once again confirming its role as an international landmark for pop culture, attracting tens of thousands of fans, artists, and scholars from all over the world.
Among the protagonists of this edition, the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies took part with two panels dedicated to the relationship between comics, memory, and human rights, reaffirming the value of the Ninth Art as a language capable of narrating history and inspiring civic reflection.
The first event, “The Ninth Art and Dictatorships: From The Eternaut to Today”, explored the power of comics as a tool of memory, protest, and resistance, taking inspiration from The Eternaut, the Argentine masterpiece that became a symbol of collective awareness during the dark years of the military dictatorship.
The panel featured Pier Luigi Gaspa, curator of the exhibition dedicated to The Eternaut, and comic artists Oscar Grillo and Ariel Olivetti, prominent figures on the international scene.
Joining the discussion were Giuseppe Martinico, Professor of Comparative Public Law at the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, and Filippo Fontanelli, Professor at the University of Edinburgh, who delved into the role of comics as a form of critical expression and a means of defending human rights.
The second panel, “Fischia il vento: The Resistance Between Past and Present”, offered a reflection on the value of freedom and collective memory, eighty years after the end of the Second World War.
Through the language of comics, authors continue to tell stories of resistance, dignity, and courage, keeping alive the memory of a past that still challenges and inspires us today.
The discussion featured GUD, Marco Rizzo, Pier Luigi Gaspa, Alberto Pagliaro, and Paolo Addis (Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies), moderated by Michele Ginevra.
Comics thus reaffirm their role as a bridge between generations, transforming historical testimony into an accessible and engaging narrative that speaks directly to younger readers.
Through its participation in these events, the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies renewed its commitment to fostering dialogue between art, culture, memory, and rights, recognizing comics as a powerful medium for reflection and civic awareness.
