Overview
- Festival organizers confirmed on Saturday that Eshkol Nevo will take part in the 25th Libro Possibile and rejected an appeal seeking his exclusion.
- The petition asking for Nevo’s removal gathered signatures from local political figures and clergy, who addressed their appeal to the Puglia regional president, the mayor of Polignano a Mare and the festival organizers.
- Bari mayor Vito Leccese publicly opposed the exclusion effort, arguing that censoring cultural speech harms dialogue and peace, while some signatories say Nevo has not clearly condemned Israeli government policy.
- The festival said Nevo will appear alongside other speakers on Gaza and the Middle East and will host a 'Discorso alla Pace' that includes Catholic voices and journalists such as Wael Al‑Dahdouh.
- Organizers framed the decision as part of a broader effort to keep cultural events open to diverse views at a time when debates over speakers have become a flashpoint in Italy’s cultural scene and could influence how other festivals handle contested invitations.