‘Time for Books’ name of new Milan book fair

Milan, October 5 - 'Tempo di Libri' (Time for Books) is the name of the controversial new book fair that will take place in Milan from April 19-23, 2017. The closing day has been set to coincide with World Book and Copywright Day. The fair has been organised at the Milan Rho trade fair centre after the long-established Turin book fair lost the confidence of Italian publishers earlier this year. The programme is to be overseen by Chiara Valerio, Pierdomenico Baccalario and Giovanni Peresson with oversight from a scientific committee responsible for drawing up the guidelines for the general content of the event. The logo is of a book illuminated by the sun that doubles as a sun dial. The new fair aims to promote a new "interactive" way of approaching books and reading, organisers said. "There will be the much-loved authors but we would like the public to take part," said Renata Gorgani, president of the new Fabbrica del Libro in Milan. "We would like the fair to be a huge meeting place where non-readers also come," she added. "I think it will be useful for Turin too that the fair is being held here," Lombardy regional governor Roberto Maroni said, adding that he had spoken to Piedmont governor Sergio Chiamparino and that the recent controversy over the break with Turin could now be considered "over". "We are starting out with the greatest enthusiasm, also on the part of the institutions," Maroni added.