Friday, October 23, 2026, in the Spadolini Hall of the Ministry of Culture, the ceremony proclaiming the Italian Capital of the Book 2027 took place. The coveted award was won by Monreale, in the Metropolitan City of Palermo. The prize was presented by the Minister of Culture, Alessandro Giuli, in the presence of the Expert Jury and the representatives of the finalist municipalities, namely Chiaromonte (PZ), Iglesias (SU), Nuoro, Pomigliano d’Arco (NA), Teramo and Treviso.
The initiative, promoted by the MiC through the Department for Cultural Activities, aims to encourage reading, strengthen the book and publishing supply chain, and promote cultural participation, contributing to social cohesion and inclusion and to territorial development. A special designation for Monreale, which in 2027 will have a great opportunity to showcase its cultural sites linked to reading and dialogue among cultures.
Monreale Triumphs Over All: It Is the Italian Capital of the Book 2027
At the proclamation ceremony, the minister Giuli announced the winning project of the Italian Capital of the Book 2027: Monreale thus succeeds Pistoia, the current Italian Capital of the Book 2026, with its project “Monreale Reads the World,” which triumphed over as many as 31 projects submitted by a total of 90 Italian municipalities.
The Monreale dossier stands out for its high project quality, strategic coherence, and the ability to fuse local identity with national and international openness. According to what Minister Giuli announced while reading the verdict, the attention to inclusion and to the younger generations, the involvement in a broad and qualified territorial network, the solidity of governance and the projection of structural interventions destined to produce lasting effects are highly commendable.
The theme of multilingualism and dialogue among cultures, closely tied to the city’s history, is considered original and convincing, as well as the effective use of cultural heritage as a narrative and participatory element. The jury was also persuaded by projects related to operator training, creative residencies, and the strategy aimed at turning the visitor into a “reader on a journey.” These elements strengthen the appeal and generate positive cultural and economic spillovers on the territory.
Ultimately, Monreale’s bid shows a high level of maturity, coherence, and sustainability, standing out for quality, strategic vision, social inclusion, long-term impact, and full alignment with the objectives of the call for proposals.
Monreale’s Project
The dossier “Monreale Reads the World” was conceived by the Councillor for Public Education Patrizia Roccamatisi, who oversaw its drafting with the sponsorship of the Culture Department and who expressed great satisfaction at the moment of the victory announcement: “Honored, our dossier is dedicated to our community and primarily to the educational institutions, to childhood, and to all the people who live in our territory,” stated the Councillor.
The candidacy stems from the administration’s desire to enhance the city’s historical, artistic, cultural, and spiritual patrimony through a program capable of looking to the future and promoting new opportunities for participation. The objective is to build around the book a path that goes beyond the mere promotion of reading, focusing on culture as a tool for bringing together different identities and generations, but also as an opportunity for urban regeneration and direct community involvement.
The Other Cities and the Candidate Projects
Below we list the other candidate cities and the respective dossier titles submitted:
- Chiaromonte (PZ): “The Plots of Calliope”;
- Iglesias (SU): “Iglesias – The Book in the Mediterranean”;
- Nuoro: “Nuoro: Roots of Paper, Visions of the Future”;
- Pomigliano d’Arco (NA): “Pomigliano d’Arco – City Workshop for Reading”;
- Teramo: “Teramo and Its Valleys”, candidature in aggregation with the Municipalities of Alba Adriatica, Ancarano, Atri, Campli, Civitella del Tronto, Corropoli, Crognaleto, Fano Adriano, Giulianova, Isola del Gran Sasso, Martinsicuro, Montorio al Vomano, Nereto, Pineto, Roseto degli Abruzzi, Sant’Egidio alla Vibrata, Sant’Omero, Silvi Marina and Tortoreto;
- Treviso: “Current Memories, Living Pages”.
