Turin – Even during the XXXVI edition of the International Book Fair, which took place from 9 to 13 May at the Lingotto in Turin, Calabria was a true and authoritative protagonist clearly demonstrating, with the numerous presence of guests and visitors, the great desire for culture and great interest in our region. Great success and participation at the Calabria stand which, in its over 200 square metres, hosted many meetings with the presence of illustrious authors and speakers and many students, teachers and managers from various Calabrian and non-Calabrian schools, giving visibility to the houses Calabrian publishers, welcomed thousands of visitors and curious people in a space characterized by a modern and welcoming layout. On the words of Saverio Strati “…This land could be made into paradise” the president of the Region, Roberto Occhiuto, and the vice-president, Giusi Princi, wanted to focus the 2024 edition of Calabria on the Book Fair, also dedicating a wall of the stand at “The factory of thoughts…” on which visitors placed phrases and drawings, and invited to “Explore the enchantment of Calabria: an exciting symphony of poetry, history and art”.
“This year too – stated President Occhiuto – in Turin, at the most important and prestigious event in Italian and international publishing, we managed to obtain important numbers for participation and quality attendance, and for the large influx of visitors. I thank Vice President Princi, and the competent Departments who supported her, for the work carried out which allowed us to obtain a significant result for an area in which we are investing and will continue to invest. Through such a prestigious showcase, like that of the Turin Book Fair, we have had the opportunity to show, make visible and give international value to the cultural resources of our territory, capable, if known, of attracting a lot of interest towards Calabria”.
“I am truly proud – added Vice President Princi – that, also in this edition of the Book Fair, the Calabria Region was able to offer important in-depth and discussion events on all days of the prestigious literary event, giving space to its authors and publishers and students of many Calabrian and non-Calabrian schools, enhancing the resources of the area and highlighting the link between culture and history, customs, tradition, nature, environmental sustainability and new technologies. The great success of the public and visitors to our stand, positioned immediately visible even from afar in the Ovel pavilion, together with those of the largest publishing houses, Rai, some Ministries and other regional Administrations, is testimony to the new cultural ferment that our region is experiencing. With our presence at this very important literary event – remarked Princi -, in which 41 publishing houses and 20 Calabrian authors had space, over 200 events including 85 meetings and with the presence of over 220 authors, publishers, journalists, institutional representatives, and with the significant and precious participation of hundreds of students from Calabria, Tuscany, Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto, Lazio and other regions of Italy, we wanted to represent and convey the values of our land also to the new generations. In fact, with the participation of the students, we dedicated interesting moments to Saverio Strati and Franco Costabile on the centenary of their birth and presented the experimental project, intended for secondary schools, which aims to promote the study of important Calabrian writers, such as Strati and Costabile but also Alvaro or La Cava, whose works will become an integral part of the school curriculum. The space dedicated to the Calabrian master goldsmith Gerardo Sacco who also had a tantalizing and stimulating generational comparison with the YouTuber Gabriele Vagnato was interesting and well attended. There were truly many prestigious presences such as those of the Accademia dei Caccuriani, the writers Domenico Dara, Mimmo Gangemi, Vito Teti, Carmine Abate, the mathematician-essayist Piergiorgio Odifreddi, the writer Angela Bubba and many others whom we have highlighted in recent days ”. “Truly a great success for Calabria at the 2024 Book Fair. A great result, the result of synergistic work between several people from the department and the regional Education Department, for which I thank the general manager, Maria Francesca Gatto, the sector manager , Anna Perani, and all the staff. I also thank Giacinto Gaetano of the Lametino Library System who, in partnership with the other Calabrian library systems, oversaw the participation of the publishing houses in the Fair, Franco Arcidiaco who coordinated the editorial activities, and Sandro Turano who took care of the set-up of the stand. A great team effort – underlined Vice President Princi – which allowed us to exceed the already flattering numbers of the last edition and which put culture at the center, which plays a fundamental role in the government program of the Occhiuto Council, as project of redemption of a vital, proud and proud people such as the Calabrian one”.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
