Introduction
Sponsors	Participating Artists	Symposium Theme
Memoria: Mario Calcagnile	Information on "Pietra Leccese"	Italiano
	Presentation : Prof. Nando Marzo

Statement by Prof. Nando Marzo, Assessor for Tourism, Culture and Sport When the Salento sculptor and artist Mario Calcagnile proposed, during one of our numerous autumn meetings on the Lungomare in Leuca, that we hold an international "pietra leccese" stone sculpture symposium, I was immediately in favour of the idea, even though I was completely clear on how it could be realised and how the program would be articulated. However, the idea of hosting 10 artists of different nationalities in Leuca, and the thought that each of them, bringing along their personal experience and the cultural background of their country of origin, and living together in symbiosis for 20 days, would deal with the theme of Leukos and the Myth, modelling and sculpting a large pieces of our local stone, immediately intrigued me - my imagination took flight and I perceived feelings and emotions which only art can transmit. At that point it was a question of understanding to what extent this initiative would benefit the town which I have the good fortune of administrating, and to what extent it would merely serve to satisfy a personal cultural need. The positive experience we had last summer with the realisation of the sculptural triptych "Il Trittico della Trascendenza"; the subsequent collocation of the work and renewal of a public area (Piazza Marinai d’ Italia), which had been in silent decline over the years; the active participation of citizens and tourists, attracted by the originality of the initiative; the interest generated among young people, which revealed an unexpected didactic aspect of the project, firmly convinced me that we needed to get down to work to make this symposium happen. And so, thankfully, I am here today, writing this piece for the catalogue. I extend heartfelt thanks to everyone who has contributed and is contributing to the success of this most prestigious event, beginning with the Mayor and the other administrators, those working in the tourism sector, my fellow citizens, and finally the artists, whom I have already met. A permanent remembrance of them will remain, not only in their works, which we will exhibit with proud satisfaction, but also in a rarified atmosphere, imbued with their creativity, their professionalism and also their humanity, which will allow this municipality to enrich its urban face with a remarkable group of artworks and its social fabric with a splendid life experience. In conclusion, I hope that I have been able to find the right cultural language with which to reach the hearts of our youth, because it is they who absorb and continue to construct messages and ways of cultural communication which cannot help but improve our society.