There will be 41 Calabrian publishing houses represented on the stand of the Calabria Region at the XXXVI edition of the International Book Fair, scheduled in Turin from 9 to 13 May. A flattering number to which must be added the 20 Calabrian authors who have requested to participate as individuals.
The presence of Calabria in the 2024 edition seems destined to surpass the already positive outcome of the previous editions, surpassing 2023, when the publishers involved were 32.
There is now a very busy calendar of meetings on the program which will see, over the five days of the event, 85 meetings with the presence of over 220 authors, publishers, journalists, institutional representatives, in the exhibition area of the Calabria Region, U138 – V137 Pavilion Oval, of the Lingotto Fiere.
President Roberto Occhiuto and vice-president with delegation, Giusi Princi, declare: “It will be a journey into the heart of Calabria: an exciting symphony of poetry, history and art. We look forward to seeing many of you in a modern and welcoming stand, to spread the vitality, lights and colors of our Calabria throughout the world”. An invitation to explore this region using the words of a great writer, Saverio Strati, who stated: “…This land could be made into paradise”.
“The slogan – declares vice-president Princi – takes up a suggestion and a hope of Saverio Strati on the centenary of his birth; the great Calabrian writer will be remembered at the Salone with a series of meetings and thematic insights with the contribution of authorities and scholars and men of letters such as Goffredo Fofi, Gioacchino Criaco, Giancarlo Cauteruccio, Giuseppe Polimeni, Luigi Franco, Benedetta Borrata, Mario Musolino, Elisa Chiriano, Luigi Tassoni”. During the days, the poet Franco Costabile from Lamezia will also be remembered, on the centenary of his birth.
The mayors of Acri, Gioiosa Jonica, Lamezia Terme, Melicuccà, Paola, Rovito, Sant’Agata del Bianco, Taurianova and Vibo Valentia will also participate in the meetings. Also many Calabrian cultural institutes and foundations: the Solano university foundation of Unical, the Trame Foundation, the Padula Foundation, the Accademia dei Caccuriani, the Gal Terre Locridee, the Cineteca della Calabria, the Territorial Library Systems of Bovalino, Lamezia Terme, San Giovanni in Fiore and Vibo Valentia, the Fita (Italian Federation of Amateur Theatre) and the Mask and Face Association.
As already last year, the Via Verdi 11 – Educational Web TV Association of Locri will take care of the participation of groups of Calabrian and Piedmontese students who will experiment with the filming and TV broadcasting techniques of the scheduled meetings, guided by sector professionals and teachers.
Numerous guest authors: Professor Piergiorgio Odifreddi, the writers Carmine Abate, Angela Bubba, Mario Caligiuri, Gioacchino Criaco, Domenico Dara, Mario Fortunato, Mimmo Gangemi, Raffaele Gaetano, Mauro Francesco Minervino, Tonino Perna, Vito Teti, Giordano Bruno Guerri and Olimpio Talarico. Several Calabrian schools will be present at the Show: the IC Ardito of Lamezia Terme, the Liceo Mazzini of Locri, the Liceo Galilei of Paola, the Liceo Morelli of Vibo Valentia. Many others will follow the online meetings through the platform that will be made available by the Region, in collaboration with the Calabria school office.
On the morning of Saturday 11 May there will be space for “Taurianova Book Capital 2024” and the activities planned during the year in the city and in the region will be presented. Following the young Calabrian Gabriele Vagnato, from Viva Rai 2 with Fiorello, at the Book Fair in his Calabria stand, he will compare himself with the Calabrian students present.
The rich program, following the instructions of vice president Princi, was managed by the education, training and equal opportunities department, general manager Maria Francesca Gatto; culture sector, cultural activities, libraries, museums, theatres, high artistic musical education, manager Ersilia Amatruda; bookshop Calabria library organized by the Lametino Library System.
“Even in this edition – finally highlights the vice president -, the rich and participatory program will give us the opportunity to tell the country about a different Calabria which gives value to its artistic, cultural and historical heritage which must be increasingly exported and valorised. At the Turin Motor Show we want to show the world a Calabria that believes in culture as a driving force for development and as a prerequisite for the training of new generations”.
