The objective is to give even more visibility to that original historical-identifying heritage represented by the rock caves of Verzino. Set on the ridge of the ancient Sperone district, third overall (so far with more than 22 thousand votes), out of 41 thousand candidate sites, in the ranking of the Fai 2026 Places of the Heart competition, the rock settlement which was also the home and refuge of the Basilian monks in the early Middle Ages, is now at the center of a literary and artistic award promoted by the Municipality of Verzino.
The municipal administration of the small Presila town led by the mayor Francesco Levato, after having received the official green light for the regional nature reserve of the Vitravo River and the rock caves, has in fact decided to announce the “Le Rupestri” Award to give voice to that «place suspended in time where stone is not just geology, but is home and memory». The Prize is divided into four sections: Unpublished poetry with a free theme (up to a maximum of 3 poems), Anthology section (published or unpublished); Short story; Visual arts (painting, sculpture and photography).
The call is active from 1 November and it is possible to participate until 31 March 2027. The announcement of the winners is scheduled for 30 June 2027 while the awards ceremony has been scheduled for the month of August 2027 in Verzino.
Honorary president and godmother of the Award is Dr. Francesca Mungo, surgeon and specialist in Pneumology, but also poet and creator of the name of the Award itself. The president of the Jury is Ileana Andrei, a poet and cultural operator of Romanian origin who combines a solid legal education with a constant commitment to the Italian literary panorama. Already a member of technical commissions in national awards, he actively collaborates with prestigious realities in the literary and artistic sector.
The technical secretariat of the Award is managed by Dr. Maria Teresa Lapietra, responsible for the Service on behalf of the Municipality of Verzino. The announcement and rules for participation in the Prize can be consulted on the website of the Municipality of Verzino.