The oldest booksellers’ fair kicks off in Bergamo on the Sentierone

Bergamo. The heart of Bergamo is in great excitement for the start of the 65th edition of the Booksellers’ Fairhistoric event, awarded in 2016 by the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella.

Organized by Confesercenti Promotions, Italian Booksellers Union (SIL) and by independent bookstores participating in Li.Ber – Bergamo Booksellers Associationthe event takes place from Saturday April 20th to the May 1st in the tensile structure located on the city Sentierone.

Between Piazza Dante and the historic Donizetti Theater you will live more than one life, you will meet wonderful characters from distant lands or fantasy, you will discover new words. In addition to the Piacenza Center, the Auditorium in Piazza Libertà, the Donizetti Studio, next to the theater, and NXT Station in Piazzale degli Alpini will also host some events on the scoreboard.

They will stop at the fair more than 80 authors and a varied program which, alongside new releases from the national publishing scene, offers in-depth analysis, local stories and moments of sharing suitable for all ages. Among the most awaited moments by the public in Bergamo and beyond, that of Saturday 20 April, hours 6.30pm at the Meeting Space of the tensile structure, with Maurizio Ferraris And Telmo Pievani. The Fair program is co-directed by Ornella Bramaniartistic director of the Bergamo Booksellers Fair, e Serena Anselminiartistic director of Vacuum packeda cultural association from Brescia, with the collaboration of Daniele Rocchettiformer president of the provincial ACLI of Bergamo and creator of “Many Faiths under the same sky”.

“We are at the 65th edition of an event that sees a significant organizational commitment,” he says Antonio Terzi, president of Confesercenti and Li.Ber. Terzi shares a reflection that he particularly cares about with all the participants at the inauguration: “it is time for the book to return to the center of public and political debate”. And he adds: “I thank the mayoral candidates Elena Carnevali and Andrea Pezzotta, present today, with each of whom we will be able to collaborate in the future, regardless of the outcome of the elections.”

“I couldn’t give up taking part in this occasion – says the outgoing mayor Giorgio Gori -. The booksellers’ fair has always brought important authors to the city thanks to a particularly interesting calendar of events. The book, like culture, is a product on which jobs depend.” And this is one of the reasons why we continue to curate and support the event. “Long live books and long live the booksellers’ fair”, concludes Gori.

Nadia Ghisalberti, councilor for culture of the Municipality of Bergamo, recalls that “we have the title of ‘City that reads’, an important recognition”. “I think of how many citizens – continues Ghisalberti – have built their personal library with pieces from this fair: the books in which we invest become the knowledge that consoles us in difficult moments and accompanies us in important choices”.

“The booksellers’ fair is not just a city event – ​​he intervenes Pasquale Gandolfi, president of the Province – People come here from all over the territory. I thank Confesercenti for the work carried out this year too and I relaunch the proposal to organize similar events also in the Province”.

“The fair has had a profound meaning for all the people of Bergamo for many years: it is food for the mind and the soul – he says Carlo Mazzoleni president of Bergamo Chamber of Commerce, which sponsors and supports the event -. For this reason the Chamber of Commerce will stand by the Booksellers’ Fair also in the future, increasing its commitment”.