Organizers of Italy’s Fiera del Levante have confirmed that Israel will not participate in the 2025 trade fair, following ethical concerns and a formal request from local authorities over ongoing violence in Gaza.

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The Fiera del Levante, an annual international trade exhibition in Bari scheduled for September 13–21, will proceed without Israeli participation. The decision followed a request from Bari’s mayor, Vito Leccese, who on July 1 asked organizers to “not allow Israel to participate in trade fair activities within the Bari fair district, both institutional and economic.”

In a statement, the organizers explained that their stance reflects “a clear disody:**tancing from the atrocities of the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people.” They also highlighted their support for an initiative nominating Gaza’s children for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, launched by the Latin foundation ‘L’isola che non c’è.’ The program seeks to recognize Palestinian children as symbols of the universal right to peace and life.

“For a convergence of ethical and political viewpoints, the Fiera del Levante has expressed from the beginning its support for this initiative,” the organizers said. “It promotes a moral appeal to the international community to recognize the right to peace and life of all children, everywhere.”

The move follows a similar decision by the Chilean government in March 2024, which excluded Israel from the Feria Internacional del Aire y del Espacio (Fidae). Both cases illustrate how international events are reconsidering participation amid concerns over the conflict in Gaza.

The exclusion of Israel from the Fiera del Levante underscores the fair’s ethical stance and attention to humanitarian concerns, highlighting the growing role of moral considerations in shaping international trade and cultural events.

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