For the 2024 edition of the Frankfurter Buchmesse (October 16th – 20th), Fondazione LIA is organizing five Readings in the dark to promote themes of accessibility and inclusion.

Four of these events will take place during the book fair in the Italian Pavilion (Forum 1), as part of Italy’s initiatives as Guest of Honor 2024 of Frankfurter Buchmesse, within the literary program curated by Italian Publishers Association (AIE). There will be one Reading each day with famous Italian writers, from Wednesday October 16 to Saturday 19.

On Saturday 19, there will also be a Reading in the dark at the Dialogmuseum in Frankfurt. It will be held in German and it is aimed at an audience of children (9+ years).

The Readings in the dark

The Reading in the dark® is a format created by LIA: an engaging event to address themes such as the socio-cultural inclusion of people with visual disabilities.

Through the absence of light, a Reading in the dark cancels any distinction between those who read with their eyes, those with their hands, and those with their ears. Famous writers and blind or visually impaired readers alternately read the same book, revealing the different ways of using it.

October 16th, 5.00-5.50 PM

Italian Pavillion (Forum 1), Frankfurter Buchmesse

Authors will read excerpts from their books:

• Giuseppe Culicchia, Il cuore e la tenebra (Mondadori)
• Viola Ardone, Grande meraviglia (Einaudi)
• Alessandro Marzo Magno, L’inventore di libri. Aldo Manuzio, Venezia e il suo tempo (Laterza)

Greetings by Umberto Vattani (Venice International University) and Cristina Mussinelli (Fondazione LIA). Clara Ori will partecipate. Elisa Molinari (Fondazione LIA) will moderate the event.

October 17th, 2.00-2.50 PM

Italian Pavillion (Forum 1), Frankfurter Buchmesse

Authors will read excerpts from their books:

• Paolo Rumiz, Canto per Europa (Feltrinelli)
• Giulia Caminito, L’acqua del lago non è mai dolce (Bompiani)

Clara Ori will partecipate. Elisa Molinari (Fondazione LIA) will moderate the event.

October 18th, 2.00-2.50 PM

Italian Pavillion (Forum 1), Frankfurter Buchmesse

Authors will read excerpts from their books:

• Paolo Nori, I russi sono matti (UTET)
• Pierdomenico Baccalario
• Marco Balzano, Café Royal (Einaudi)

Clara Ori will partecipate. Elisa Molinari (Fondazione LIA) will moderate the event.

October 19th, 2.00-2.50 PM

Italian Pavillion (Forum 1), Frankfurter Buchmesse

Authors will read excerpts from their books:

• Erin Doom
• Erri De Luca, Non ora, non qui (Feltrinelli)

Clara Ori will partecipate. Elisa Molinari (Fondazione LIA) will moderate the event.

These events are organized by Fondazione LIA as part of the Italy’s initiatives as Guest of Honor 2024 of Frankfurt Book Fair, within the literary program curated by Italian Publishers Association (AIE). Find out more about Italy Guest of Honor 2024: www.buchmesse.de/en/highlights/guest-honour

October 19th, 11.00 AM

DIALOGMUSEUM, Frankfurt

The event is aimed for an audience of children and it is divided into two activities: in the first part, participants are invited to sit around Petrine Waagö who will read the book “Mission Roboter – Ein spannender Fall für die Glücksagentur” by author Anke Girod in digital Braille.

Afterwards, they will be able to have firsthand experience with Braille, through a practical workshop that will show how the reading system works and why it is so important for inclusion.

The event is organized in collaboration with: Fondazione LIA, DIALOGMUSEUM, Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels, Frankfurter Buchmesse, Blinden- und Sehbehindertenbund in Hessen e.V. (BSBH) and dzb lesen.