Lamezia Terme – In collaboration with the Floating Library of Entertainment-Tip Teatro, International Book Day is celebrated in Piazza Mazzini with an initiative which, as part of the cultural animation and “rehabitation” project of the historic “Pan&Quotidiano” square promoted by Stefano Pujia together with the architect Ester Pontoriero, wants to celebrate the day dedicated to the world of books and reading by taking inspiration from the ancient Catalan tradition of St. George’s Day.
The new bookcrossing point “Pan&Parole” will be inaugurated on Tuesday 23 April at 6pm, with speeches by the publisher Roberto Laruffa and Domenico Benedetto D’Agostino. The traditional exchange of books and roses will follow in collaboration with Rosanna Perso and, those who wish, will be able to read and share pages of books to which they are particularly attached. “Proclaimed World Book and Copyright Day in 1996 by UNESCO, the date of 23 April was chosen because on this very day in 1616 the Peruvian Garcilaso Inca de la Vega, the Spaniard Miguel de Cervantes and the ‘English William Shakespeare. Over the years, April 23 has seen the birth of other personalities from the world of literature: the Frenchman Maurice Druon, the Russian Vladimir Nabokov, the Colombian Manuel Mejía Vallejo and the Icelandic Halldór Laxness, innovator of Icelandic literature and Nobel Prize winner for literature in 1955. Also on April 23, but in 1981 the Catalan Josep Pla, Spanish writer and journalist, died – explain the organizers – But there is also another coincidence linked to the region of Catalonia, in Spain, where people were already celebrating a day dedicated to books, on April 23rd, the day of the patron saint Sant Jordi (St. George). In Barcelona, legend has it that it was Saint George himself who defeated the dragon, saving the people and the princess threatened by the monstrous creature. The blood that flowed from the wounds immediately caused wonderful red roses to bloom, one of which was given by Sant Jordi to the princess. n memory of this mythical event, on the day dedicated to Sant Jordi – April 23rd, in fact – in Catalonia people celebrate by giving a book and a rose as a gift”.
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