text Teresa Favi
Longevity Fest 2025 in Porto Cervo: the future of longevity between science, nutrition and innovation
From September 5 to 7, the fourth edition of the festival directed by Pietro Mereu
From September 5 to 7, 2025, Porto Cervo once again takes center stage with the fourth edition of the Longevity Fest, the world’s first festival dedicated to longevity and quality of life. The event is promoted by the Consorzio Costa Smeralda and conceived by director Pietro Mereu, under the patronage of the Region of Sardinia and the Municipality of Arzachena, with Smeralda Holding as main partner.
Over the years, the Longevity Fest has established itself as a prestigious cultural and scientific event, combining research, innovation, and local traditions. Its focus is not only on understanding how to live longer, but above all on how to live better—through prevention, healthy lifestyles, social connections, environmental care, and cultural heritage.
Longevity Fest One of the highlights of this year’s edition will be the panel “Harvard meets Porto Cervo”, featuring some of the world’s leading experts in nutrition, genetics, and epigenetics.
Among the key speakers:
Frank Hu, Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, will open the festival with a keynote lecture titled “Food as medicine for a longer, healthier life”.
Immaculata De Vivo, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, will focus on epigenetics and female longevity.
Giovanni Scapagnini, neurologist and biochemist, will present insights on the cellular mechanisms of aging.
Giuseppe Passarino, Professor of Genetics at the University of Calabria, will share his research on centenarians.
Gianni Pes, physician and researcher at the University of Sassari, founder of the Blue Zone concept, will discuss the nutritional properties of Sardinian herbs with Andrea Cabiddu of Agris Sardegna.
The Mayor of Arzachena, Roberto Ragnedda, emphasized the strong connection between the festival and the local identity: “Quality of life in Sardinia remains one of our most precious resources. What makes our territory special, recognized as a Blue Zone, are mostly intangible elements such as culture, a slow and mindful lifestyle, strong family and social bonds, and simple, genuine food—together with our unique natural heritage, which must be preserved.”
Roberto Ragnedda, sindaco del comune di ArzachenaBeyond science, the Longevity Fest 2025 will also offer cultural and cinematic moments, including screenings of documentaries such as Arzachentos and Climbing the Elixir, along with a preview of Finding the Blue, Pietro Mereu’s new work exploring whether Arzachena and Porto Cervo could also be recognized as a Blue Zone.
The grand closing evening, hosted by journalist Barbara Carfagna, will feature the presentation of the Longevity Award 2025 to film director Pupi Avati, honoring the lasting impact and continuity of his outstanding career.
The festival will also celebrate Sardinia’s culinary traditions, with Coldiretti Sardegna and farmer-chef Franca Cabras offering tastings inspired by the centenarians’ diet. In addition, restaurants belonging to the Consorzio Costa Smeralda will present a special “Longevity Menu”, reinterpreting traditional ingredients through their own culinary creativity.
“With the Longevity Fest, we began by presenting Sardinia’s Blue Zone and putting it in dialogue with Okinawa and Nicoya. Today we are engaging with leading global experts, making the festival an international benchmark in longevity research,” explains Pietro Mereu, Artistic Director.
All events are free to attend, with reservation required by emailing info@consorziocostasmeralda.com.
