Mazza closes Italy’s year as Guest of Honour

The 76th edition of the Buchmesse in Frankfurt ended today. The parchment symbol of the Guest Country of Honor was entrusted to the Philippines as part of the handover ceremony staged inside the Italian Pavilion created by Stefano Boeri interiors. Doing the honors was the Extraordinary Commissioner Mauro Mazza who, taking the stage, claimed the success of the Italian participation. “We did it and brought it home – said Mazza from the stage, introduced by the host of the Buchmesse, Juergen Boos – because this opportunity offered by the Buchmesse to our country was too important to waste or even just to damage it, to dirty it”.

The year of Italy ends, Guest of Honor in these five days of the fair but which has prepared for the appointment over the course of a year-long journey. As literary representatives, according to a consolidated tradition of the Buchmesse ceremony, the Italian illustrator Alessandro Sanna and the Filipino Isabel Roxas intervened. Italy’s experience ended with a resounding success. This morning’s data shows almost 40,000 visitors, 8,000 per day. In these five days, Commissioner Mazza declared, we wanted to “offer the best image of Italian culture and of Italy itself because whoever entered the Italian Pavilion, in the square built by Stefano Boeri interiors, was enchanted , filled the eyes with wonder: students, simple visitors, institutional delegations, school groups, universities who were thrilled to walk under the porticoes and at every opening find something beautiful, be it books, an exhibition”. Next year the Philippines will inherit Italy’s task.

“We made it and brought it home. This opportunity offered by the Buchmesse to our country was too important to waste or even just to undermine it, to dirty it. A bit like Ulysses, we put wax in our ears, we worked in silence, strong in the objective we set ourselves: to offer the best image of Italian culture and of Italy itself. An Italy that is chaotic, confusing, disorganized, a bit easy-going. In short, quite the opposite of the Germans who also love us.”

“Those who entered the Italian Pavilion, in the square built by Stefano Boeri interiors, were enchanted, their eyes filled with wonder: students, simple visitors, institutional delegations, school groups, universities who were moved by walking under the arcades and at every opening to find a beauty, be it books, an exhibition – continues Mazza – We did it because we set our roots in the future in the encounter between high culture and popular tradition. We did it because we witnessed comparisons in the name of culture that unites, between authors, intellectuals, religious pastors, who think differently. And a comparison like this enriches those who do it and is the opposite of a monologue without cross-examination.”

“Conversation is useful for culture, politics, religion, for all of us. True discussion has two indispensable premises: the curiosity of the other and mutual respect. Openness therefore, the opposite of censorship – continues the Commissioner – Listening, therefore, the opposite of intolerance. Cultures in comparison, the opposite of single thought. We leave the legacy of this culture that unites, after the lacerations caused by the ideologies of the last century. We leave Gorizia Nova Gorica as the European Capital of Culture 2025 We leave the baton of Guest of Honor to the Philippines. We did it, we brought it home,” he concludes.