In releasing its programming plans for Frankfurter Buchmesse (October 16 to 20), the Guest of Honor Italy organizers open stressing numbers. This is the second time Italy has been the show’s guest of honor in 36 years, as Publishing Perspectives readers know. This time, that entail some 50 literary events, 11 debates on current affairs, 19 “witnesses of time” cultural-observation sessions; 21 professional program events; and nine events organized by the regions of Italy.
A group of 91 authors is expected to be involved, and it’s likely that at least that many people have been engaged in planning the guest of honor program’s concepts, branding efforts, programming, participants, and presentations for the better part of a year. A guest of honor turn at Frankfurt is a complex negotiation of a national market’s interests, concerns, priorities, politics, cultural traditions, and aspirations.
Raising the guest of honor market’s profile on the world’s trading stages of international translation and publication rights is a fundamental driver, one insight into which will be an exhibition of 600 books translated from German into Italian on the guest of honor pavilion designed by the piazza-master architect Stefano Boeri. Today’s emphasis is on a literary program, however which Innocenzo Cipolletta, president of the Association of Italian Publishers (Associazione Italiana Editori, AIE) says , “reflects the richness and total autonomy and plurality of the Italian publishing industry.
“It has been defined as a result of ongoing dialogue with publishers and authors,” Cipolletta says, “with the aim of making us even better known abroad. That’s why, from the outset, we wanted Italians to meet noted German writers and journalists, who will moderate a large number of the meetings. The program may also be enriched by new events proposed by writers who have made requests in recent months and with whom we are in constant dialogue, in a spirit of the utmost openness.
“The same openness characterizes the professional program which, based on the Italian experience, draws comparisons with the best voices in international publishing.”
Rome’s specially appointed extraordinary commissioner to the Guest of Honor Italy project, Mauro Mazza, with the release today of the guest of honor programming details, says, “I’m particularly proud of the program we’re presenting for Italy’s participation as guest of honor at Frankfurter Buchmesse
“We’re bringing a ‘dream team’ of authors and speakers to the temple of world publishing, to arouse interest, curiosity, and debate on the state of Italian culture.
“I’d like to stress the broad scope of our program, which is free of any hierarchy between literary genres. It’s characterized by encounters open to different and sometimes distant opinions, experiences, and generations. I’d like to thank the authors, proposed by the publishers, who have accepted our invitation. I’m also convinced that the contribution of the ‘witnesses of time’ will further enrich Italy’s participation in the Frankfurt Buchmesse, allowing us to celebrate our culture in all its facets.”
The programming developed by the Italian guest of honor planning team will be set both at the Italian Collective Stand in Hall 5.0/A22 (which has its opening at 11 a.m. on Frankfurt Wednesday, October 16) and in the Arena and Caffè Letterario sections of the Guest of Honor Italy pavilion on Level 1 of the Messe Frankfurt Forum building.
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Article courtesy of Porter Anderson/Publishing Perspectives
