As we witness the prevailing of violence over reason – stresses Franco Punzi in a message regarding the war between Russia and Ukraine – we remain speechless and anxious for the fate of the Ukrainian population, and for the developments and repercussions that this new East-West conflict may have on international relations. As organisers of events and people of culture, we ask ourselves: what to do? Here in Martina Franca we tread in the footsteps of Paolo Grassi, as we believe in the civil function of theatre and music. We would like to remember a few lines by Bertolt Brecht – whom Grassi himself brought to the attention of the Italian audiences – which represent a lucid interpretation of the current state of affairs: «Their war kills / Whatever their peace / Has left over». In 2022 therefore we will try to stage our public engagement events with an even stronger feeling of commitment and responsibility, stressing the pluralism and internationalism which are typical traits of opera and of the free circulation of people and ideas – something which here in Puglia has been happening since the beginning of Western civilisation. With the hope that music may continue to resound as a universal language of union amongst people.