Education Minister Stefania
Giannini said Monday it would be a mistake to start a new book
fair in Milan to compete with Turin's International Book Fair,
whose 29th edition was held in May.
"Turin is the city of the book fair," Giannini told ANSA.
"Duplication and fragmentation is never a good policy. We must
consolidate things that do well and have a historical brand,
like the Turin Book Fair".
Her comments came after the Italian Publishers Association
(AIE) floated the idea of an alternative book fair in Milan.
Her words echoed those of Culture Minister Dario
Franceschini, who also weighed in on the issue on Sunday.
"I wish to reiterate that government backing... of the
Turin salon remains fully in place and confirms our intention...
of investing in the Turin fair and reinforcing it as what it
already is and has been for years - a national point of
reference," Franceschini told ANSA.
"Obviously I respect publishers' independence but it would
be really useful for AIE to also converge on this choice," the
minister said.
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