WeWorld Festival Milano 2026: A Journey Through Rights, Bodies, and Social Change

From May 15th to 17th 2026, BASE Milano will host a new edition of the WeWorld Festival, an event that aims to highlight key issues that today, too often, fail to receive the visibility they deserve. The festival, which confirms itself not only as a cultural event but also as a genuine political space, focuses on rights, bodies, power, and relationships, crucial elements for building a more just and inclusive future. This year's edition is titled "United and Plural — Better to Talk About It Earlier Than Never" and invites the public to recognize and address differences without simplifying them, building alliances that can truly generate concrete changes in society.

The heart of the festival: rights, masculinity and generations

A central theme of this edition of the festival is the relationship between formal rights and real power, reflecting on how inequalities manifest themselves through the body, the peripheries, and the representation of femininity. Issues such as new masculinities, gender equality, and models of power are at the heart of a program that goes beyond analysis to offer a space for discussion and activism, where the new generations are not only the recipients of change, but also active protagonists in redefining languages, relationships, and cultural models. Voices from Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Ukraine will also offer testimonies of women who, despite conflicts and social and humanitarian emergencies, continue to fight for a better future.

The importance of words and emotional education

In a historical moment marked by polarization and hate speech, the WeWorld Festival calls for reopening spaces for discussion, education, and listening, especially for younger generations. Greta Nicolini, Director of the WeWorld Festival Milano, emphasizes the importance of promptly addressing issues related to rights, relationships, and emotional education. The "e" in the title, which unites and includes, becomes a symbol of struggle and hope, a call to build a future together, against all forms of exclusion.

Her Future at Risk: The Palestinian Conflict and Its Impact on Women

The event will officially open on Monday 11 May with the presentation of the report Her Future at Risk – Palestine, produced by WeWorld, which analyzes the disproportionate impact the conflict has on Palestinian women and girls. Limited access to essential services, food insecurity, gender-based violence, and loss of opportunities are just some of the challenges highlighted by the report. However, WeWorld's work also highlights the forms of resilience and female leadership that develop in crisis contexts. The evening, held at the Casa delle Donne, will also feature presentations by prominent figures such as journalist Daria Bignardi and author Simona Angioni, who will present a reading from the report.

Voices and stories at the center of the debate

The WeWorld Festival Milano The event will feature numerous guests, including writers, journalists, activists, and photographers, who will contribute their experiences and reflections on the festival's themes. Claudia De Lillo, Lidia Ravera, Azzurra Rinaldi, Pegah Moshir Pour, and many other voices will advance the debate on new masculinities, women's power, and the representation of bodies. The exchange between these figures will explore how to address patriarchy, new alliances, and how to engage young people in cultural change.

Bodies, medicine, and visual culture: who decides what women's bodies should look like?

One of the festival's most relevant themes will be the representation of the female body, a topic intertwined with medicine, visual culture, and design. In a dialogue between Chiara Alessi, Chiara Becchimanzi, and Nina Gigante, the audience will have the opportunity to reflect on how society dictates how women's bodies should look and function, often relegating them to imposed aesthetic standards. This exchange highlights the importance of an alternative narrative that reshapes the canons imposed by dominant culture.

Performance, cinema and cultural activism

The WeWorld Festival is not limited to moments of theoretical reflection, but also offers high-impact artistic and cinematic performances. Among the most anticipated events are the reading Letters from Gaza, hosted by Lidia Ravera, who will give voice to the mothers of Gaza, and the show The inverted heart, which tells the story of Lauretta, a young partisan courier. The Festival will also host a film festival featuring films that tell stories of adolescence, war, and rights, with a special screening of the documentary Everyday in Gaza, which will provide food for thought on the daily difficulties experienced by the Palestinian population.

Family and wellness space

Alongside the cultural program, the festival will offer opportunities for wellness and families. Workshops and activities open to all will be organized, such as the Biblioclown workshop on affectivity for children and yoga sessions on the terrace. These spaces are designed to engage families, encourage children's participation, and stimulate reflection even among younger generations.

Photographic exhibitions: a visual journey through the suburbs

Photography will play a key role in the festival, with exhibitions that tell the story of urban suburbs in Italy and around the world. Inside the suburbs by Alex Majoli will explore the life of the Milanese suburbs, while Dream big, a participatory photography project in Kenya, will give voice to girls and boys fighting for gender equality and against discrimination. These exhibitions will be an opportunity to reflect on the reality of marginalization and the possibilities for change that arise in places marked by inequality.

Accessibility and inclusion: a festival for everyone

The WeWorld Festival will take place in accessible spaces, free of architectural barriers and designed to welcome people with neurodivergence and other specific needs. It's not just about talking about inclusion, but about putting it into practice, offering everyone the opportunity to actively participate. The festival represents a unique opportunity for anyone who wants to be part of a broader conversation about rights, relationships, and social change.

A festival that can no longer wait

The WeWorld Festival Milano 2026 confirms itself as an essential event for those who wish to reflect on urgent and relevant issues of our time. It's not just an opportunity to listen, but to be part of a change that, through culture and activism, can truly make a difference. Don't miss the opportunity to participate in a festival that brings to the forefront key voices for the future of our society.

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