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At least 50,000 books were recovered from mud and water, out of a total of 150,000, thanks to the solidarity efforts of ordinary citizens, institutions, socially responsible companies, and law enforcement. These are the volumes secured last May, in the aftermath of the tragic flood that struck the Episcopal Seminary of Forlì, along with a large part of Romagna.

Saved Memory

Today, that collective effort—swift and in some ways deeply moving—has become “Submerged, Saved. Books Rescued from the Mud”: an exhibition featuring 25 large-format images, emotionally powerful and of great artistic value, created by Silvia Camporesi, an internationally renowned photographer from Forlì. The exhibition portrays the devastation left by the flooding in the rooms where this invaluable bibliographic collection was stored, including several 16th-century volumes. It also tells the story of the commitment and determination with which the local community joined forces to preserve a fundamental element of collective memory, a cultural heritage that has been at least partially safeguarded and entrusted to restoration.

 

Petroltecnica’s Contribution

During those days, Petroltecnica was among the organizations that voluntarily stepped in to face this challenge, contributing in particular to the removal of a hydrocarbon spill that risked making operations even more difficult. The exhibition—accompanied by a video by Mara Moschini and Marco Cortesi, as well as three installations coordinated by Sauro Turroni—remains an important opportunity to reflect on what happened and on the shared responsibility that such events demand in order to restore a new balance between humanity and nature.

“Submerged, Saved. Books Rescued from the Mud” is open until December 3 (daily from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM, and on Saturdays also from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM) at the Episcopal Seminary, Via Lunga 47, Forlì. Info: info.sommersisalvati@gmail.com