Genoa is the Italian Capital of the Book 2023

Italian Book Capital 2023 is Genoa. It was proclaimed during a press conference held today in Rome at the Ministry of Culture by Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano, with the following motivation:

“For the breadth and organic nature of its cultural proposal, the city of Genoa was unanimously identified as the ’Italian Capital of the Book 2023’ despite the presence of other qualitatively high projects worthy of attention. The choice took into account programs to enhance and integrate both the articulated library system of the municipal territory and, more generally, the collections and the historical, artistic and literary heritage through initiatives ranging from virtual tours of library facilities to temporary exhibitions, from faculty training activities to the involvement of young and old in reading programs. Also appreciated were already established initiatives-from the History Festival to the Science Festival to publishing exhibitions and book fairs-that contribute to making the book also an instrument of civic growth and social integration. Particularly then was appreciated the ability to ’make system’ through the use of public and private energies able to contribute to the realization of a program suitable to generate a return for the city both in terms of image and in economic terms.”

Also speaking at the ceremony were the Director General of Libraries and Copyright, Paola Passarelli; the President of the Jury, Francesco Perfetti; and the President of the Center for Books and Reading, Marino Sinibaldi.

The finalist cities were Genoa, Florence, Lugo, Nola, San Quirico d’Orcia and San Salvo. To these must be added Ariano Irpino, Caltanissetta, Catania, Grottaferrata, Nardò, Pontremoli, Terni and Trapani, for a total of fourteen nominations.

“The book is not an object; the book is a world. It is an ethical, moral and spiritual dimension. I think that each of us through reading improves himself. As far as I am concerned, reading is like breathing and is fundamental to the growth of each person, and the promotion of reading is among the fundamental duties of this Ministry. The Commission, in its autonomy and independence, evaluated a number of projects that were all worthy, so we will find ways to involve the other finalist cities as well,” Minister Sangiuliano stressed.

The Jury was appointed by Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano and is composed of Francesco Perfetti (chairman), Gerardo Casale, Pietro De Leo, Giuseppe Luigi Parlato, and Michela Zin.

Genoa had presented the project A Pagine spiegate!!!: “The ambitious and far-reaching project networks the entire city with the aim of consolidating the cultural system and, through this, increasing territorial cohesion. Among the development and transformation goals that this project intends to pursue is working with and for communities, which sees the book and what ideally derives from it as an engine toward awareness. The title chosen for the bid is borrowed from the seafaring language and maritime tradition that has always characterized the city of Genoa: sails unfurl to gather all the wind they can. This is how it can happen for this city: pages are unfurled-opening books, making them accessible, shaping stories and memory-to be tools, just like sails in the wind, of knowledge, enhancement and growth but also of citizenship and movement toward the future.”

Photo: GenovaMoreThanThis (IG lieslseeber)

Genoa is the Italian Capital of the Book 2023

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