Doors have closed at the 26th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair in the United Arab Emirates (27 April- 3 May), where Italy was the guest of honour. Italy’s entry was organised by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ministry of Economic Development, Ministry of Cultural Heritage, the Italian Embassy in the UAE, the Italian Trade Agency – ICE, the Centre for Books and Reading and the Association of Italian Publishers (AIE), which developed the project.
The creativity and the genius of the famous “Made-in-Italy” concept was represented in all its forms, from the exceptional vivacity of Italian literature to the innovative energy of Italian design and the extraordinary achievements in art and the culinary arts. Some of Italy’s most prominent contemporary authors, Donato Carrisi, Luigi Guarnieri, Nicola Lagioia, Valerio Magrelli, Valerio Massimo Manfredi, Antonio Manzini, Beatrice Masini, Melania Mazzucco, Michela Murgia, Alessandro Sanna, Vincenzo Trione, Licia Troisi, Franco Cardini, Giorgio Ghiotti, Chiara Valerio and Cristiano Cavina, illustrated the many forms of “Italian Genius”. They starred in meetings in the pavilions of the Fair as well as in the sumptuous and welcoming official areas of the Royal Family and the Al-Multaqa Association.Federico Motta, chairman of the Association of Italian Publishers said: “Participating in the Fair should be seen as a first step towards the consolidation of the cultural presence of Italy in the UAE which is investing substantially to promote the cultural development of their countries. Italy has a lot to offer to our friends from the Emirates and it is an opportunity not to be missed.” He also expressed his heart-felt gratitude to the “authors and their cooperation, but also to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation that together with the Italian Embassy in the UAE coordinated the participation of Italian enterprises in the Fair. I wish to say a special word of thanks also to the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, and the Centre for Books and Reading which has supported the participation of Italian publishers, to the Ministry of Economic Development and the Italian Trade Agency ICE, that are committed to promoting Italian companies abroad and foster their internationalisation, for the setting up of the Italian Pavilion.”
Made-in-Italy “attractions
Visitors greatly appreciated the exhibition of 11 rare volumes from the collection of Rome’s Biblioteca Angelica, the illustrations by Alessandro Sanna, that made Italy’s area so special, the “Children’s illustrations – Italian Excellence” exhibition, (promoted and organised by the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, the Italian Institute of Culture in Madrid with the support of the Emilia Romagna Region) and the images from “Italian Views” by Sky Arte HD. Meetings with great Italian chefs at the Show Kitchen were very popular, while the Italian Business Area was busy with B2B between Italian publishers (16 publishing houses) and their foreign counterparts.
