A non-profit cultural association created to promote the knowledge of Soul, a musical genre that draws directly from the roots of the African-American musical tradition and which has a great influence on all contemporary pop music. It was founded by Graziano Uliani in 1987. The following year the Porretta Soul Festival was born, which over the years has taken on such dimensions of prestige and notoriety as to make it the most important European event dedicated to Soul and Rhythm and Blues music.—Porretta Soul Festival