Intellectual property and protection of cultural heritage were at the center of the first edition of the “Summer Elsa Law School on Intellectual Property and Cultural Heritage Law”, held between Messina and Taormina from 25 August to September 1. The initiative, promoted by the Messina section of the Ela-European Law Students’ Association, brought twenty students and students of jurisprudence from thirteen European countries in an intensive training path. The theme chosen for this edition, “Intellectual Property and Cultural Heritage Law”, intended to put in dialogue the contemporary legal paintings with the extraordinary historical and artistic wealth of Sicily, through a program that has combined lectures, interactive workshops and institutional visits.
The programming was curated by the “Elsa” Committee Messina, with the vice -president Cristina Scorza and composed of a team of young jurists engaged in the management of the event. The official opening, Tuesday 26 August, with the round table “Intellectual Property and Cultural Heritage: Legal Frameworks, Challenges and Future Perspectives”, coordinated by the lawyer and researcher of Unime, Federico Parrinello, together with the architect Luciano Giannone. The main regulatory profiles and emerging challenges in the management of cultural heritage in the digital era have been outlined.
The days alternated academic lessons – including those on constitutional rights in music, on copyright, ia and on the use of “ADR” tools – to moments of interdisciplinary study: from the protection of the coastal heritage, to the protection of cultural heritage in conflict situations. Ample space has been reserved for sessions dedicated to emerging issues, such as the protection of the intangible heritage in the EU and the UNESCO Convention for World Heritage. Next to the academic path, the “Sels” proposed moments of knowledge of the territory and cultural heritage, promoting a multidisciplinary approach, enriched by convivial occasions such as the “Sicilian fast food”, the “Pizza Night” and the “Gala Ball”, which have contributed to strengthening the spirit of community and the international dimension of the initiative.
The “Sels” thus contributed to strengthening the image of Messina as a city of culture and international exchange: inserted among the prestigious activities of the “European Law Students’ Association”, confirmed the role of the Messina section as a qualified actor in the European academic scene. “With this first edition – said Cristina Scorza -” Elsa Messina “launched an initiative which, after the international conference held in 2024, seems destined to consolidate”.
