Turin Book Fair 2023 Sets Attendance Record Amid Protest Controversy

The 35th edition of the Salone del Libro di Torino closed on May 22, 2023, with record attendance of 215,000 visitors, including nearly 25,000 students from 18 regions. The fair, under editorial director Nicola Lagioia, was marked by protests against Minister Eugenia Roccella. Activists from Extinction Rebellion and Non una di meno disrupted Roccella's book presentation, leading to its cancellation and 29 activists being reported. The incident sparked political backlash from right-wing intellectuals and politicians who decried censorship. Mayor Stefano Lo Russo defended peaceful protest but condemned the silencing of speech. Highlights included the debut of philosopher Paul B. Preciado presenting Dysphoria Mundi with Maya De Leo, Scott Spencer in conversation with Viola Ardone and Tommaso Pincio, and panels on inclusive language and independent American writers featuring Scott McClanahan, Juliet Escoria, Blake Butler, and Megan Boyle. The fair also promoted its newsletters Incanti (art market), Render (urban regeneration), and PAX (cultural tourism).