From February 27 to March 1, 2026, Ferrara will host the ZEN Lecture Series, a cycle of three conferences dedicated to Japanese thought and spirituality, held in the setting of the Sala Ex Refettorio of the Cloister of San Paolo (Via Boccaleone 19).
The series is supported by the patronage of the University of Ferrara, the UBI Research Center, and the Municipality of Ferrara, with scientific coordination by Federica Sgarbi (Doshisha University, Kyoto) and Matteo Vincenzo D’Alfonso (University of Ferrara). The conferences will be held by Federica Sgarbi, Lecturer in the History of Eastern and Western Thought at Doshisha University in Kyoto, who, drawing on her research experience in Japan, will offer the public an introduction to Buddhism and to the thought of D.T. Suzuki, one of the most important figures in the dissemination of Zen in the West.
The programme includes three events:
- Friday, February 27, 5:00 p.m. – Introduction to Zen: From Doctrine to Experience, with an analysis of the foundations of D.T. Suzuki’s thought.
- Saturday, February 28, 4:30 p.m. – Katsujinken: The Sword that Gives Life, an exploration of samurai ethics and the overcoming of the Ego.
- Sunday, March 1, 3:30 p.m. – The Aesthetics of Imperfection, a reflection on error and suffering as possible opportunities for spiritual awakening.
“This lecture series testifies to Ferrara’s international vocation and its openness to dialogue between cultures,” the organizers emphasize. “Thanks to Prof. Sgarbi’s research work and the synergy with the Department of Humanities of the University of Ferrara, we are offering the community a rare opportunity to approach Zen thought with depth and awareness.”
The initiative will take place at the Sala Ex Refettorio of the Cloister of San Paolo (Via Boccaleone 19, Ferrara) from February 27 to March 1, 2026. Free admission.
