On the day that Sergio Molesi and I met Erna Toncinich, member of the Commission and expert of the local art world who welcomed us cordially, we discussed the matter in a relaxed atmosphere and many ideas were able to flourish. We considered two proposals to be particularly significant. The first one was to create an ‘artistic circle’ that would deal with various cultural sectors, and finally result in the foundation of the ‘Cenacolo.’ The second one was to organise an international Ex Tempore that was open to everyone, capable of creating a wider artistic-cultural ‘showcase’ with an environmental and social impact, where all citizens could be equally involved with the collective events. As the venue for the event, I proposed the prestigious Grožnjan of the highlands of Buje – a city of artists, and a harmonious architectural jewel set within an amazing landscape. This is how Ex Tempore of Grožnjan, now almost at its 20th edition, was born. I remember that, on the way back, the festive lighting of the Kantrida stadium seemed like a good omen for the possible success of the initiative. The following morning, our proposal was presented to the management of the Università Popolare di Trieste and, like usual, after an almost immediate approval, it sped up the mandatory bureaucratic process and we were able to start the operational phase of the project just a few days later. Thanks to the foresight and availability of the President Bruno Maier and the Secretary Luciano Rossit – still mourned today, and whose strong human touch and broad culture I like to remember, as well as his exceptional organisational and management skills – we started the collaboration with the most eminent personalities from the cultural sector, always in favour of being involved in the initiatives of the organisation. Thanks to such great managers, the Università Popolare became a pillar of this vast and particular area, a strong river, this is what the initiatives and proposals were like, evaluated and supported with professionalism, beyond personal interests and with great mediation skills. I still cherish a memory of the first edition of Ex Tempore, in 1994: the rain tried in vain to ruin it, being the main protagonist of that cold autumn Sunday with the sky a dominating grey, despite some weak sun rays. The jury announced the winner: Daria Vlahov, a young artist from Rijeka, already established, but who has unfortunately passed away prematurely. She will be the only awarded artist from these almost twenty years that I will mention here to avoid disrespectful yet unintentional omissions. From that first edition until today, the participation has grown exponentially, as well as the contribution of the Istrians and the influx of visitors, all part of a festival where the art and the territory converse and recognise each other. Some significant data: it started with about 50 participants in the first edition, whereas the most recent ones received over 500, all of them with great artistic quality capable of stimulating the growth of amateur painters as well as beginners – just like our Artistic Commission hoped for from the very beginning. The Commission was then dismissed and never re-proposed, but to our satisfaction and comfort, the idea turned into results. To conclude, I would like to mention the members of the various juries who shared their expertise, competencies and critique over the years; there were personalities of the highest cultural value and like I omitted the names of the awarded artists, I am not going to name names, despite their fame, but allow me one exception: Sergio Molesi. This is history; the rest is in the chronicles.