{:en}It will be the naming ceremony of the Kursaal Palace's civic library after Professor Antonio Arecco that will open the first edition of “LOA Reads in Every Corner,” the weekend entirely dedicated to reading organized by the Loano Municipality's Department of Tourism, Culture and Sports with the collaboration of the Mondadori Bookstore the LoaLibri bookstore, the Oratory of Our Lady of the Rosary, the spontaneous group #cosavuoichetilegga, Unitre Loano, the Loano Gazette, the Falcone Institute, Yepp Loano, the Company of the Curious and with the artistic coordination of Monica Maggi of “ATuttoTondo.”.
“Professor Arecco,” explains Loano Mayor Luigi Pignocca, "represented for years one of the most distinguished personalities in the cultural landscape of our Loano. Thanks to his tireless activity as a researcher, historian, writer and popularizer, Antonio Arecco has helped to transmit the history and traditions of the city to many generations of Loyotees. A treasure of culture that, were it not also for him and his publications, would probably have been largely lost. We therefore feel it is our duty to name our civic library after him, which holds many copies of his works and which it is the intention of our administration to make increasingly a cradle of culture and knowledge. By dedicating our library to him, we will contribute to keeping forever alive the memory of Arecco, a character who belongs to all intents and purposes to the history of our city, that same history whose knowledge he helped to safeguard and transmit to posterity.".
During 2017, Loano obtained the status of “City that Reads,” a recognition issued by the circuit of the “Center for Books and Reading” (Cepell) in agreement with Anci and aimed at promoting and enhancing municipalities committed to continuously carrying out public policies to encourage reading in their territory. In addition to Loano, only Cervo, Ameglia and Genoa are “Cities that Read” in Liguria.
Last March 9, Councillor for Tourism, Culture and Sports Remo Zaccaria participated in the “Rethinking the City through Books” convention held as part of the international publishing fair “Tempo di Libri” in Milan. In addition to the Loano alderman at the fair were the other representatives of the 400 Italian municipalities that received the “City that Reads” designation. The initiative was an opportunity to illustrate the results of the first “Pacts for Reading,” present the winning projects of the 2017 calls for proposals dedicated to municipalities that have been awarded the status of “Cities that Read,” and introduce the new public notice that will allow interested municipalities to participate in the network and join forces in the revitalization of reading.
And this is what the Municipality of Loano also wanted to do, which on May 15 presented to the area's cultural associations the new “Pact for Reading” approved by the Pignocca council. By adhering to the Pact, the intervening associations confirmed their willingness to support and participate in the cultural projects promoted by the administration and in particular the project of “LOA Reads in Every Corner,” which is perfectly in line with what are the guidelines of the “Center for Books and Reading” on “Cities that Read.”.
For 2018, in fact, the theme of “City that Reads” is spontaneous and street reading. With this in mind, the Cultural Office of the City of Loano has prepared the “LOA Reads in Every Corner” project, which includes spontaneous reading events in different parts of the city. The event will be held on the weekend of May 5 and 6 and is part of the “Pact for Reading,” which aims to create a structured territorial network in order to “restore value to the act of reading as an essential moment for the construction of a new idea of citizenship.”.
“Last year the project of ‘LOA Reads in Every Corner’ received a favorable evaluation by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities as part of the calls for proposals related to the ‘City that Reads,’‘ explains Culture Councillor Remo Zaccaria, ’Our administration has decided to focus firmly on this initiative as we believe it is a new and innovative way to encourage and promote reading, especially among the youngest. With this project we want to show that ‘any place is good for reading’ and that one does not read just to ”kill time' but for the pleasure of doing so and also and above all to derive personal enrichment from it. Above all, we want to show that reading is not a boring activity to be done in solitude, but can also be a fun time to be experienced in company.".
The naming ceremony of the library after Antonio Arecco will be held on Saturday, May 5, at 4 p.m. in the civic library of Kursaal Palace. This will be followed by the presentation of the book “History of the Diocese of Albenga-Imperia and its Bishops” edited by Dr. Francesco Arduino. The meeting with the author was organized by Unitre Loano.
On Sunday, May 6, from 4 to 6:30 p.m., the streets and squares of the city and Borgo Castello will be animated by book presentations, poetry readings and interpretations, animations and performances all dedicated to reading.
Among the scheduled animations is one by Dr. Curamalicri (a.k.a. Paola Paolino) who, inspired by the book “Curing Yourself with Books. Literary Remedies for Every Sickness” by Ella Berhound and Susan Ilderkin, will feature a performance that can cure every ailment. “Whatever your ailment, our recipe is simple: a novel (or two) to take at regular intervals,” explains Paola Paolino.
Circoincerto and youngsters from the youth center “The Invisible Cities” Yepp will bring to life “Trampolibri,” a circus show that will accompany participants to discover the books best suited to them.
Borgo Castello will become “The Village of Poetry.” The spontaneous group #cosavuoichetilegga together with Alessandra Munerol, Vera Bonaccini, Valentina Zingaro and others will try to answer the question “Will poetry save the world?” with performances, stagings and readings that aim to enhance the role of poetry “as a form of sharing the beauty of the world and our own.”.
“The Reading Circle” is scheduled in Rocca Square with free and participatory reading moments on the themes of the sea and merriment. The initiative is curated by the spontaneous group #cosavuoichetilegga but anyone can participate by showing up directly at Rocca Square or by reserving a place via Facebook (on the #cosavuoichetilegga page) or by text message (at 347.5031329).
On Ghilini Street, the Mondadori Bookstore will organize the “Let's Fairy Tale Together” workshop with readings and play for children between the ages of 3 and 10. During the afternoon, the children will create their own fairy tale with “Story-Telling Dice,” which are nothing more than colored dice showing the actions, places and characters of the story: the outcome of each throw will determine the development of the plot.
At the Nassjria Gardens, in front of the civic library, there will be readings and music from “Books at Large” by Graziella Frasca Gallo and Roberto Sinito.
In Palestro Square space for “Young Readings” curated by #cosavuoichetilegga and Yepp role-playing group Loano. Marco Zucchi, role-playing game master, will be the emcee of a marathon of free reading and comics in which participants can both read and bring their personal stories to life.
At the Turchini Oratory (Our Lady of the Rosary) travel back in time with “Reading History, the Birth of the Oratory,” which includes a visit to the picture gallery followed by a reading of Prince Doria's 1602 document on the birth of the Loano oratory.
A free reading circle will be held at the San Josemaria Escrivà Gardens by photographer Silvio Massolo in collaboration with Igers Savona and Gruppo Zefiro. Anyone can bring and share their own image and heart reading with other participants.
In the gardens on Via Ricciardi, next to Palazzo Doria, there will be “Readings of Beauty” curated by #cosavuoichetilegga and featuring Tina Milazzo, Graziella Ghezzi, and Simona Briozzo, while in Corso Europa space will be given to “Readings under the arcades” curated by LoaLibri bookstore and “La Cantina,” with readings for all ages.
Until evening, “Impromptu Readings,” surprise reading performances will be held throughout Loano. And throughout the day it will be possible to exchange books at the book-crossing point next to the fountain “Conversation at the Fountain” by Bruno Chersicla.
Finally, at 9 p.m. in the civic library will be staged “Giallo Rock,” an evening curated by the Company of the Curious with Pupi Bracali, Alfredo Sgarlato and the musical group “No man's land.”.
For information and any proposals to join the planned initiatives, it is possible to contact via Facebook the spontaneous group #cosavuoichetilegga, a partner in the initiative.{:}
