The Calabrian town of Taurianova has been awarded the title of Italian Book Capital 2024, the cultureministry said on Tuesday.
"The Taurianova project has been awarded because it represents, for a small reality, the road to growth or even rebirth through the creation of cultural, material, immaterial and value-based infrastructures that can also radiate their virtuous effects on the surrounding territory," said the jury chaired by Calabria-born archaeologist, writer and poet Pierfranco Bruni.
Specifically, it "identified in the project presented by themunicipality in the Gioia Tauro Plain, also because of itshistorical and geographical context, an opportunity to create an example of pedagogy of cultural, civil and social redemption".
The decision, the jury explained, "was made particularly on the basis of the social impact of the project proposal on an area that has an extraordinary need for support from a cultural point of view" and "in line with what Unesco defines as the intrinsic value of the cultural and creative sector in terms of social cohesion, the ability to generate educational resources, personal well-being and economic growth".
The municipalities of Trapani in Sicily, Grottaferrata in Lazio, San Mauro Pascoli in Emilia Romagna and Tito in Basilicata, which were also in the running for the title of Italian BookCapital 2024, have told ANSA they are considering appealing against the decision.
Established in 2020, the title of Italian Book Capital aims to promote a culture of reading and books.
Cities are selected by a jury nominated by the culture ministry on the basis of project proposals and the winners receive up to500,000 euros in funding.
In 2021 the title was awarded to Vibo Valentia in Calabria, in 2022 to Ivrea in Piedmont and in 2023 to Genoa in Liguria.
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