Wonder, science, beauty - Italy presents itself as Guest of Honour for the 2024 edition of the Frankfurt Book Fair
Italy will be the Guest of Honour at the next Frankfurt Book Fair, publishing’s most prestigious international showcase, after its first presentation 36 years ago.
Italy will use this opportunity to showcase a broad cross-section of voices and ideas, spark dialogues, and to present vibrant new literary talent that is nourished by Italy’s rich cultural history.
During the book fair and throughout 2024, Italy will explore the creative tension between the past and the future, broaden cultural horizons, face the challenges that society presents, and define the literary trends of the coming years.
As part of this and inspired by the motto 'Roots in the Future', some 120 authors and artists will present debates, musical performances and art exhibitions in Germany over the coming year.
‘Many of us know Italy, but maybe only some aspects of the country. With the Guest of Honour programme however, the book fair aims to put a spotlight on the culture and especially the current literature of the guest country – not only during the five days of the fair, but during the entire Guest of Honour year. Since the contract for this Guest of Honour presentation was signed in 2018, several translation promotion programmes, which are a vital part of the Guest of Honour programme, have already been put into action. Thus, I am very much looking forward to numerous new translations of Italian authors in the upcoming year that will be presented to the German and international readership. At this year’s book fair there will already be numerous Italian writers present with events on the fairgrounds and in the city of Frankfurt’, says Juergen Boos, Director of Frankfurter Buchmesse.
‘If I had to describe the Italian culture that will present itself in Frankfurt in 2024 with two adjectives, I would choose 'aware' and 'smiling' because they reflect a maturity and curiosity that are the best premises for moving into the future. We would like to offer a non-stereotypical image of the nation, one that is capable of enhancing an unparalleled cultural history but at the same time does not limit its ambition in exalting the creativity of the avant-garde to the maximum. We would like to show in Frankfurt a literature that conveys our wealth and our vocation for freedom. Doing all this with a serene spirit is the best way to confirm an important component of our identity,’ said Mauro Mazza, Extraordinary Commissioner of the Government, presenting his vision for this important international showcase.
‘As an event of global significance, the 2024 book fair represents an occasion of exceptional importance for our country and its culture, understood as a virtuous encounter and comparison between history, art, music, theatre, cinema, fashion, and landscape. Given the multifaceted nature of the event, the Ministry of Culture, which I have the honour to represent here, is committed in all its articulations to contributing to achieving the best result.
With this in mind, the Ministry and, in particular, the Directorate General for Libraries and Copyright implement policies to protect, enhance and support what we might call the 'book constellation', which includes libraries, reading and the so-called 'book chain'. It will therefore be a precious opportunity for us to retrace our variegated and complex cultural fabric, a moment to reflect on us as a community that is able to give us back - as in a mirror - what makes Italy positive,' commented Paola Passarelli, Director General of the Ministry of Culture – General Directorate of Libraries and Copyright.
‘Italy, which will be Guest of Honour next year at the Book Fair, is a country where more than 5,000 publishers operate, and which publishes more than 80,000 printed books each year. The level of Italian publishing pluralism is, I would say, unique in Europe. Frankfurt is our opportunity to make this heterogeneous heritage of voices, ideas and stories known abroad, even better than it is known today. All of them,' said Innocenzo Cipolletta, President of the Italian Publishers Association.
‘From 2010 to today, the number of translation rights sold abroad by Italian publishers has almost doubled and will be close to 8,000 contracts in 2022. We export many books for children and young people, about one title every three, but also a lot of non-fiction, fiction, comics and illustrated books. The Book Fair will help us grow even further: after the pandemic, our country has seen an increase in the number of young and very young people visiting bookshops, thanks to titles and new proposals that we want to take abroad more and more,’ said Renata Gorgani, Vice-President of AIE.
‘The presence as Guest of Honour offers an extraordinary opportunity for a wide-ranging promotion of Italy in Germany. We will start a year of activities related to culture, creativity and innovation, during which we will give space to many Italian voices, ideas and experiences. It will be a varied and fascinating journey, travelled with our German friends, starting in February when Italy will be 'Country in focus' of the European Film Market, the commercial segment of the Berlinale,' concluded the Ambassador of Italy to Germany, Armando Varricchio.
The countdown that will bring Italy to this important event will begin on Sunday 22 October, when Slovenia, Guest of Honour of the 2023 edition of the fair, will pass the GuestScroll to Italy. This occasion will be marked by a conversation between authors Dušan Jelinčič and Ilaria Tuti. The Italian violinist Francesca Dego, who has been performing with great success for years on musical stages all over the world, will provide the musical backdrop for this event.