July 21, 2010
Africa's technological vocation: lettera27 at Festivaletteratura 2010 in Mantova
On 11th and 12th September lettera27 is taking part in Mantova's literature festival Festivaletteratura with Mobile A2K, through three panel discussions on technology, education, urban transformation and interactivity, which are key activities run by the foundation, thanks to the Mobile A2K project.

Through the lettera27 network, the programme brings together educators, artists, writers, and people who actually look inside devices and tools, understand how they work and adapt them to their own particular needs, aiming to create technologies that are free and inexpensive.

The starting point is Afrofantasy – African science fiction and fantasy as an anticipation of future and technology, a panel discussion focusing on visions of alternative worlds in African science fiction, with Giuseppe O. Longo, researcher and writer, Stacy M. Hardy from “Chimurenga Magazine”, Cheick Tidiane Gaye, writer, and Fatimah Tuggar, world-renowned Nigerian artist.

The disenchanted teacher. Rethinking education through technology, is the title of the second panel discussion, defending intelligent low-tech and supporting extreme hi-tech, chaired by Chiara Somajni, journalist from “Il Sole 24 Ore” and new technologies expert, and Robert Casati, philosopher and researcher. Participants include: Massimo Banzi, interactive tools designer and founder of the Arduino project, and Mark Grimes, co-founder of Maker Faire Africa, a travelling fair devoted to Africa's creativity in innovative technology.

The last event in the programme is Multiplying perspectives: knowledge from an African point of view, a talk by Rasheed Araeen, one of the most active and affirmed postcolonial intellectuals. This event will also host the Wikimedia Italia award ceremony, which this year is devoted to the best African contents published on Wikipedia.



Image: Photo by Lucio Lazzara (Zetalab)