Two cities, one community to mark the 25th anniversary of the Fondazione Mondo Digitale
In October, Milan and Rome will host a public programme dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the Fondazione Mondo Digitale. Installations by the artist Loris Cecchini, meetings with the research community, open workshops, schools, institutions and members of the public will come together to explore how knowledge can foster relationships, innovation and the common good.
Since 2001, the Fondazione Mondo Digitale has been guided by a simple conviction: knowledge is a right and grows when it is shared. Over the past twenty-five years, this idea has taken shape thanks to the people, schools, universities, businesses, institutions and social organisations that have built a community capable of transforming technological innovation into tangible opportunities for learning, inclusion and participation.
To celebrate this journey, the Foundation is promoting Knowledge that Connects, a public programme taking place in Milan (15–18 October) and Rome (21–25 October 2026). Two cities, two different contexts, one shared idea: to bring together research, culture, the local area and citizenship through the language of contemporary art.
The common thread running through the two events is the work of Loris Cecchini, an international artist whose installations explore the connections between nature, science and transformation. His modular structures, made up of elements that only acquire meaning in relation to one another, serve as a metaphor for the work carried out by the Foundation over the past twenty-five years: building networks of people, skills and institutions to generate social impact.
Milan: knowledge as shared research
The first event involves the University of Milan, the Brera Botanical Garden and the Brera Academy. The inauguration of the installation will be accompanied by talks focusing on the dialogue between art, science and innovation, the launch of a book and a documentary tracing the Foundation’s history, as well as guided tours and workshops for schools and the public. The initiative highlights the role of the university’s ‘third mission’: taking knowledge beyond academic spaces to put it at the service of society.
Rome: knowledge that becomes community
The second stage showcases the Foundation’s local spirit: one that grows within communities and transforms innovation into participation. The programme takes place between the Rome Botanical Gardens and the Innovation Gym in Quadraro, bringing together institutions, research, nature and the local community. Loris Cecchini’s installation enters into dialogue with Sapienza’s historic garden, whilst at the Innovation Gym, workshops, meetings and open events give back to the local area the value built up over twenty-five years of collaborative work.
Alongside the institutional events, the programme in Rome features cultural walks, workshops for families, children and young people inspired by the artist’s works, opportunities for discussion with students, researchers and makers, the launch of the book and documentary marking the Foundation’s twenty-five years, and a closing day of public engagement.
An anniversary that looks to the future
More than a celebration, Knowledge that Connects is an invitation to reflect on a question that has accompanied the Foundation since its inception: how can innovation and technology be transformed into concrete opportunities for people? A question which, in the age of artificial intelligence, remains more relevant than ever and continues to guide the Foundation’s work alongside the communities that have shared its journey.
In collaboration with
University of Milan · Brera Botanical Garden · Brera Academy of Fine Arts · Sapienza University of Rome · Rome Botanical Garden · Rome
Capital · 7th Municipality · Terzjus Foundation
