Italy launches €100 'Carta della Cultura' for low-income families to buy books

The Italian Ministry of Culture has officially launched the 'Carta della Cultura' initiative as of October 1, 2025, aimed at supporting reading access and combating educational and cultural poverty. The measure provides a €100 digital contribution per year from 2020 to 2024 for the purchase of printed or digital books with an ISBN code. Applications must be submitted by 12:00 PM on October 31, 2025, exclusively through the IO app using SPID or electronic ID card. Eligible families are Italian and foreign residents in Italy with an ISEE below €15,000. Each household can receive one card per reference year, with allocation based on lowest ISEE and chronological order of application until funds run out. The initiative is technically managed by PagoPA, CONSAP, and SOGEI, in collaboration with the Centro per il libro e la lettura. Beneficiaries receive a notification on the IO app and find the digital card in the 'Wallet' section. The contribution must be spent within 12 months of issuance at participating bookstores and points of sale, listed on a dedicated platform accessible via the Ministry of Culture and Centro per il libro e la lettura websites and the IO app. The Carta della Cultura represents an institutional commitment to promoting reading as a right and tool for emancipation, potentially generating significant long-term effects for minors and families with limited access to cultural heritage.