Opportunities for discussion for the new generations with great guests from all over Italy and beyond, open dialogues on contemporaneity with young protagonists, moments of sharing stories and experiences that can be of inspiration for girls and boys, as a compass for choices about their future. These are the themes of “I take the world – In dialogue with the new generations on current events, growth, work” (click here for the complete program), the event created by Turin International Book Fair, together with the young people gathered in Future Directionin collaboration with City of ParmaEuropean Youth Capital 2027, with the support of Cariparma Foundation and with the patronage of the University of Parma and which will take place at the Paganini Congressi and in other city spaces.
Various themes are at the center of the debate, open not only to young people, but to the entire public of readers: literature, art, journalism, rights and equal opportunities, psychology and mental health, work and entrepreneurship, solidarity and hospitality, environment and sustainability, cinema and theatre, journalism and new media, sport and inclusion.
Among the guests, Francesca Mannochi, Gianrico Carofiglio, Paolo Giordano, Fumettibrutti, Daria Bignardi, Barbara Stefanelli, Annalena Benini, Paola Peduzzi, Felicia Kinglsely, Matteo Lancini, and Nadeesha Uyangoda, Federico Taddia, Michela Giraud, Emma Dante, Daniele Mencarelli.
The program is curated by the Turin International Book Fair together with “Future Direction 2025”, group composed of around 30 students from Parma and the Parma area, aged between 15 and 23, selected through a call launched on the Salone’s social networks in September.
Through constant meetings they gave voice to their doubts and passions, proposed the themes of the meetings, evaluated the names of the guests, constructed the schedule of questions and topics that will be discussed on the stages of the Paganini Congressi. Not only that: the girls and boys of the group supported the Book Fair team to bring their ideas and their voices to the promotion, communication and management activities of the events.
The program of major lessons will be enriched by workshops, laboratories, activities and presentations created by local cultural entities, in collaboration with the Book Fair. Middle schools and high schools, universities, bookshops, civic libraries and associations will propose projects aimed at different age groups, for children and adults, with a focus on reflection on current events and youth participation, starting from the books and experiences created. To orient yourself through the proposed itineraries, the meetings will be divided into two areas: Voices from the world (the great lessons and meetings taking place at Paganini Congressi) and Il mondo in città (the initiatives of city associations at Paganini Congressi and in other spaces of the city).
In September, the Book Fair launched a call to shape the intergenerational working group on the project. More than 50 girls and boys from different schools, training institutes and backgrounds responded to the invitation. Thus the “Direzione Futura 2025” was formed, with students from Parma and the Parma area, aged between 15 and 23, participating in the planning and management of “Mi prendo il mondo”.
Some members of the group are also part of the group “Future Direction 2024”, who act as tutors for the new boys and girls who have joined the team. The group met once every two weeks in the spaces made available byDepartment of the Youth Community and the Administration of Parma and will meet until the dates of the event, to dedicate themselves to all aspects of the cultural project: the choice of themes and guests, the identification of a communication style capable of speaking to today’s boys and girls, the planning and conducting talks, writing texts. All alongside the structure of the Book Fair, in an exchange of points of view, sensitivity and skills, in mutual enrichment.
The young generations are at the center of “Mi prendo il mondo”, not only as ideal interlocutors of the events, but also as true protagonists, an active part in the construction of the event.
An involvement strongly desired by Book Fair and the City of Parma to try to respond to a concrete emergency affecting young people: in Italy 17.7% of people under 30 neither work nor study (Eurostat 2023 data), the highest rate in Europe. At the Paganini Congressi, the public will be able to meet the girls and boys of the Direzione Futura, who will have the Direzione Futura desk in the foyer at their disposal, to meet, dialogue and exchange ideas with guests and readers.
