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A number of celebrated authors, four acclaimed chefs and two social media influencers will participate in the Italy Guest of Honour programming agenda at Sharjah International Book Fair 2022, along with a variety of cultural performances, including music, theatre and art, as well as panel discussions and book readings.

A total of 160 kids workshops, 72 roaming parades and 4 theatre shows will be hosted to educate and entertain young guests and families.

Visitors can listen to and engage with Viola Ardone, whose beautifully crafted story, The Children’s Train, explores the meaning of identity and belonging; Luigi Ballerini, an award-winning author of children and teen books; Alessandro Baricco, a popular Italian writer, director, and performer; and Nicoletta Bertelle, who has illustrated more than 100 books for Italian and foreign publishers.  

Tuscan writer and cello artist Alice Cappagli whose novel, Ricordati di Bach (Remember Bach), covers the journey and education of a musician; Giuseppe Catozzella, who has published across multiple literary genres, including plays, short stories and novels; Giuseppe Conte, Italian poet, novelist, and translator; and Francesca Maria Corrao, Professor of Arabic Language and Culture, LUISS University, Rome; will also partake in Italy’s GoH programming this year.

Elisabetta Dami, who mixes adventure with good values and humour in the Geronimo Stilton series of books written for children aged 6 to 12, gives young readers yet another opportunity to meet her in person as she returns to SIBF for its 41st edition.

Other prominent Italian writers at SIBF 2022 include Alessia Gazzola, a medical examiner turned thriller writer; Christian Greco, Egyptologist and Director of the Egyptian Museum in Turin; Telmo Pievani, Philosopher of Science, Evolutionist, Communicator and Essayist; Domenico Scarpa, literary critic and translator;  Claudia Maria Tresso, Associate Professor of Arab language and literature at the University of Turin who has translated several seminal Arabic works including Assia Djebar’s In the Dead of the Algerian Night; and Paolo Roversi, a writer of detective stories and mystery.