TEDxCrotone

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

• Antonio Aricò

  Designer

  Eclectic designer. Inventor of symbols. Creator of worlds. In every work of Antonio Aricò it is possible to trace the imprint of his poetics inspired by tradition, by the fantastic, by the romantic and the ancient. An author's production that feeds on dreamlike visions and on the contamination of symbols and languages, to become concrete in a range of products and projects where design, art and craftsmanship dialogue to touch the hearts and minds of people.

• Francesco Lepore

  Journalist

  Journalist, writer, and LGBT+ rights activist Francesco Lepore (born in Benevento, 1976) previously served in the Latin Letters Section of the Vatican Secretariat of State and later at the Vatican Apostolic Library. Ordained a priest in 2000, he left the priesthood in 2006 to live openly as a gay man; his story is featured in Frédéric Martel’s bestseller Sodoma (2019). Holding degrees in Dogmatic Theology and Classical Literature, he was editor-in-chief of Gaynews.it, Italy’s first LGBT+ online newspaper. He now writes for Linkiesta and the Italian-language Swiss public broadcaster on culture and civil rights. Since 2020 he has curated the Latin column O tempora, o mores, later adapted into a book. Among his works is Il delitto di Giarre (Rizzoli), which inspired a Sky documentary, and Stonewall, co-edited with Yuri Guaiana.

• Francesco "Checco" Pallone

  Musician

  He began his musical career at 13 as a percussionist and guitarist with the Compagnia Calabrese di Canto Popolare, deeply engaged in ethnic music research. Over time, he developed a distinctive and original musical language, leading to collaborations with nationally and internationally renowned artists across genres ranging from rock and jazz to world music. Since the 1990s, he has performed and recorded worldwide, touring in countries including Argentina, Germany, France, Canada, the United States, Australia, and more. He has contributed to over 40 albums. From 2016 to 2022, he was an external lecturer in frame drums and ensemble music at the Cosenza Conservatory, and in 2022/2023 at the Milan Conservatory. In 2018, he published “Metodo per Tamburi a Cornice – Notazione su Trigramma.” He is currently director of the Calabria Orchestra.

• Giulia Vrenna

  Social Media Manger

  Giulia Vrenna lives in Crotone and works as a digital communication specialist. She holds a degree in Public Relations and Corporate Communication and specializes in digital marketing and social media. She is currently Social Media Manager for the Italian Cystic Fibrosis Research Foundation (ETS), combining professional expertise and personal experience to support scientific research and promote accessible communication. Living with cystic fibrosis since the age of nine, she chose to turn fragility into strength by openly sharing her story and raising awareness. In 2018, she founded the local support group “Vita in te ci credo,” now one of the Foundation’s Italian branches. She has been a member of Unitalsi for eleven years and has studied Italian Sign Language (LIS) for the past three, strongly believing that true care is built not only through therapies, but also through listening, inclusion, and presence.

• Manuela Stranges

  Professor

  Manuela Stranges is Associate Professor of Demography at the University of Calabria. Her research covers a wide range of topics, including migration, population aging, social norms, subjective well-being, intergenerational transmission, and sexuality, with a constant focus on gender differences. She serves as Deputy Director of the Milly Villa Women’s Studies Center at the University of Calabria. For many years, she has been actively engaged in public outreach and awareness initiatives on socio-demographic issues.

• Michelangelo Mercuri

  Singer

  N.A.I.P. is the acronym for “nessun artista in particolare” (“no artist in particular”) and is a musical project by Michelangelo Mercuri (born in 1990) that blends electronic beats, synths, loop station, guitar, and vocals. The project was launched in 2018 but gained national recognition in 2020 thanks to the talent show X-Factor. He released his first album, titled “N.A.I.P. – nessun album in particolare” (“no album in particular”), in 2020, followed by an EP in 2023 called “Dovrei dire la mia” (“I Should Have My Say”). Currently, N.A.I.P. is working on his new album and, at the same time, has started a new band project called SI! BOOM! VOILÀ!, with which he released an album on January 16, 2026, and is already touring throughout Italy.

• Nicola Gratteri

  Magistrate

  An Italian magistrate, he has been committed for decades to the fight against organized crime and is considered one of the most authoritative figures in the fight against the ’ndrangheta. Under police protection since 1989, he has led major anti-mafia investigations and held key positions within the Italian judiciary. After serving as Chief Prosecutor of Catanzaro, in 2023 he was appointed Chief Prosecutor of Naples, heading the largest prosecutor’s office in Italy. Author of numerous books on organized crime and the evolving nature of contemporary mafias, he has long been engaged in public outreach and awareness-raising activities, especially aimed at younger generations. A voice that speaks of the courage required to make difficult choices, the weight of responsibility, and the need to build a culture of legality.

• Sandra Savaglio

  Astrophysicist

  Sandra Savaglio is an astrophysicist with research experience in the United States (Space Telescope Science Institute and Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore) and in Germany (European Southern Observatory and the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, Munich). In 2004, she appeared on the cover of Time as a symbol of Italy’s “brain drain.” She is a professor of astrophysics at the University of Calabria. In 2018, she published the popular science book The Whole Universe for Those with Little Space-Time with Mondadori. She served as Regional Minister for University, Research and Education of the Calabria Region and as Vice President of the Scientific Council of the National Institute for Astrophysics. Since February 2024, she has been a member of the Technical Scientific Committee of the Italian Space Agency.