Subiaco is the Italian Capital of the Book 2025

Subiaco is the Italian Book Capital 2025, a city chosen the finalists Grottaferrata (Rome), Ischia (Naples), Macchiagodena (Isernia), Mistretta (Messina), Sorrento (Naples) and Subiaco (Rome). The awarding of the title took place yesterday in Rome, at the Ministry of Culture, by Minister Alessandro Giuli, with the following motivation: “The project presented by Subiaco offers an accurate range of proposals all aimed at the enhancement and dissemination of the book project, starting from the revitalization and restoration of the great library heritage kept in its territory, up to the use of new technological resources that will allow the new generations to approach with methods more in keeping with them a cultural world - mostly considered dusty and ancient - that can instead offer them many stimuli and surprises. But this is not only the focus of the project. Combining past and present, one will be able to witness the creation of the first book printed in Italy, right in Subiaco, in 1465 of which the original has been lost, allowing the first Italian movable type printing press to be materially reconstructed. There are many initiatives intended to make people discover, protect and enhance the many artistic and architectural riches of the area, starting from guided tours in museums with innovative audiovisual supports such as WhatsArt, theater performances, interactions between libraries, ’spoken’ books in the squares, involving teachers and students of local schools. All this with the important aim of introducing the long journey made by the book over the centuries to new generations, uniting past and future in an interactive and attractive way for all. Only knowledge of the past, in fact, can enlighten us in a new vision of culture as a form of humanity’s resistance.”

The Jury, appointed by Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli, consists of Gian Arturo Ferrari (chairman); Roberto Alfatti Appetiti; Domenico Minuto; Susanna Tamaro and Simona Vinci. Lasting one year, the title provides funding of 500,000 euros from the General Directorate for Libraries and Copyright disbursed through the Center for Books and Reading to implement the project submitted by the city.

Subiaco presented the project Threshold of Paradise:
Rethinking cultural heritage as a unified whole, guiding visitors to sites toward a more complete and documented knowledge. Here are that the priority lines of action of the candidacy are aimed both at enhancing the information heritage through the integrated network between municipal and school libraries, and at better positioning in terms of tourism, thus making visitors converge toward religious and cultural sites to be enjoyed through new publishing products necessary to enhance and transmit to future generations the material evidence of the past.

“The awarding of the title of ’Italian Capital of the Book’ comes just in the days when the Ministry of Culture turns 50, an excellent viaticum for an award that has confirmed its plural geographic and cultural vocation. Indeed, every latitude, history, landscape and accent of Italy animated a competition in which all participating cities brought to bear their cultural and literary heritage,” Giuli added. “All the proposals submitted, from the initial 20 entries to the 6 finalist cities, were ambitious and of a high standard. And there is no doubt that Subiaco will live up to the title awarded to it with a program of events and initiatives capable of enhancing the local and national heritage of the book, its supply chain and its infrastructure, exalting the social value of reading and its vital relationship with the territory.”

“The success of the MiC initiative with the General Directorate for Libraries and Copyright is confirmed by the ever-increasing demand for participation from municipalities: there were 20 candidate cities this year. Very valid projects, difficult work of the jury, as it is clear that the promotion of books is now an important part in the enhancement of culture and territory,” concluded the director general of the Directorate General for Libraries and Copyright Paola Passarelli.

Subiaco is the Italian Capital of the Book 2025

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