Description
For the first time in Italy, especially in celebration of the important 10th Edition milestone of the “Water for Life” International Art Exhibition. The Municipality and City of Assisi, UNESCO Assisi, and the Region of Umbria are delighted to have been selected for this milestone exhibit. We are pleased to mention that this important International event will also be part of the year-long program celebrating the 800th Anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi.
The “Water for Life” International Art Exhibition, Tenth Edition, will be held at the Palazzo del Capitano del Perdono Museum in Assisi, Perugia, Italy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Exhibition will take place from April 12th to 19th 2026.
The Palazzo Capitano del Perdono was built between 1615 and 1620 on top of an existing building to accommodate the authorities – the “Captains” – who had the task of watching over the fair, which is held every year on the occasion of the popular Festa del Perdono, or Festival of Forgiveness. Thanks to its red bricks, it has a sober and elegant line, and it is mainly composed of three floors. A colonnade precedes the ground floor, the first floor by a square-base porch featuring pillars, and the second floor features a rectangular tower. The first two floors exemplify 17th-century architecture, while the third level dates back to the 19th century.
In this 10th Edition, the main objective of “Water for Life” is to increase awareness about the Trasimeno Lake crisis amid plummeting water levels due to the most severe droughts in history. This environmental crisis threatens both the delicate ecosystem and the livelihoods tied to the lake, particularly due to global climate change, which is already affecting its water availability.
ABOUT LAKE TRASIMENO
Lake Trasimeno is the fourth largest lake in Italy, with a surface area of 126 km². Located in Umbria, north-west of Perugia, the lake is shallow, with a maximum depth of 6 m, and lies at an elevation of 257 m above sea level. It is fed exclusively by rainwater due to the lack of natural inflows and outflows, and receives an average of 723 mm of precipitation per year.
Reed beds, water lilies and holm oak woods characterize the sparsely populated coastline. Traditional agriculture includes crops such as wheat, maize and tobacco. On the three islands, people grow olives. Around the lake, the macrophyte flora is particularly remarkable, with an abundance of marsh plants, including white-water lilies, marsh bedstraw, marsh iris, floating fern, small pondweed, and common club-rush.
The abundance of fish is an essential source of income for the lake’s inhabitants, and many migratory birds rest at Lake Trasimeno.
The picturesque Trasimeno area in the Umbria Region is facing a significant rainfall deficit, which has resulted in one of the most severe droughts in Trasimeno Lake’s history. Water levels have plunged to a critical 154 centimeters below sea level—an alarming 14-centimeters drop from last year. This environmental crisis threatens both the delicate ecosystem and the livelihoods tied to the lake.
The ongoing drought, worsened by climate change, has deteriorated water quality, leading to harmful algal blooms and increased fish mortality. Disturbing scenes of lifeless fish along the shores, especially at Monte del Lago, have spurred public outrage and revived fears of eutrophication linked to excessive nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulphur.
For local fishing communities, whose livelihoods depend on a healthy lake, this situation is dire, and the impact extends to tourism and other economic activities.
The “Water for Life” International Art Exhibition, Tenth Edition, partnered with:
UNESCO (Florence, Italy), UNESCO (Assisi, Italy), Municipality and City of Assisi, Municipality of Passignano sul Trasimeno, The Region of Umbria, The Palazzo del Capitano del Perdono Museum.
HIS WORSHIP VALTER STOPPINI, MAYOR OF ASSISI & PATRON OF THE EXHIBITION
HIS WORSHIP SANDRO PASQUALI, MAYOR OF PASSIGNANO SUL TRASIMENO & COLLABORATOR
Details
For the first time in Italy, the 10th Edition milestone event main objective is to increase awareness about the Trasimeno Lake crisis (the 4th largest in Italy) amid plummeting water levels due to the most severe droughts in history.