OFF THE WALL – Reallabor

pastasciutta antifascista

The Antifascist Pasta is an initiative designed to foster dialogue, community, and democratic thinking. Inspired by the tradition of pastasciutta antifascista dating back to 1943, it combines food with social engagement. The free pasta symbolizes a vibrant, growing social practice that has been carried on for decades and is intended to continue fostering social cohesion in the future.

Antifascist Pasta has been organized every year on July 25 since 1943 by the Cervi family, a family of Italian partisans. At that time, it was held to celebrate Mussolini’s arrest, and to this day, free pasta is served on this day there and throughout Italy to celebrate together, to give each other courage and strength, and to celebrate democratic coexistence even in times of resurgent right-wing structures.

Antifascist Pasta is a project within the framework of World Design Capital Frankfurt RheinMain 2026, which operates under the motto “Design for Democracy. Atmospheres for a better life.” The program’s goal is to strengthen social participation through design and to experiment with new forms of coexistence. We see the “pastasciutta antifascista” as a format for shaping the city of Frankfurt together—in line with the WDC’s thematic focus—in a city as diverse and multifaceted as the varieties of pasta in Italy!