There is another Calabria that manages to raise its head and win the attention of national public opinion. Another Calabria is possible, which lives its redemption through the high road of culture, which, if taken in the right way and with the right means, leads far: it leads to success.

The duo - a winning duo that over the years has confirmed itself by winning the challenge of overcoming itself - is that of Gilberto Floriani and Maria Teresa Marzano, said in strict alphabetical order because there is no one between the two who can prevail over the other: for commitment, quality, enthusiasm, ideas, passion.

The Reading & Writing Festival, now in its eighth edition, has confirmed that it is an agora, in the classic sense of the term: a shared space that cancels distances, puts ideas into circulation, brings people together, creating an extraordinary feeling in the name of ideas, thoughts, confrontation.

On the other hand, it was a particularly interesting and engaging edition to create an extraordinary atmosphere of waiting: "It is true - confirms Maria Teresa Marzano - the climate of expectation that marked this edition was very strong, confirmed by curiosity and interest with which the spectators followed the various appointments: an audience that every year becomes more and more attentive and participatory. For us it is a great satisfaction, at the same time we feel the responsibility to guarantee a qualitative offer that is always of the highest level ".

And the numbers speak for themselves. Five days and over two hundred guests for an event that saw the presence of at least thirty thousand spectators. Numerous, then, were the meetings that recorded what in technical jargon is defined as sold-out. It happened for the evening that featured Mogol, an icon of Italian pop music, who captivated the audience of the festival. Great enthusiasm also for the musical show by Davide Toffolo of the Tre Allegri Ragazzi Morti and for that of Riccardo Sinigallia, one of the most creative and original songwriters of the last twenty years. And again: Mimmo Lucano, Aboubakar Soumahoro, Tommaso Michelangelo, alias Filippo Sartori of Un posto al sole. Unforgettable the meetings with Cristina Parodi, Valentino Picone, Mario Tozzi, Antonio Padellaro, Valerio Massimo Manfredi, Paolo Borrometi, Giorgia Würth, Aisha Cerami.

"This year's success confirms the intuition had years ago by the Vibonese Library System, promoter of the festival: to offer Vibo Valentia an opportunity - explains Gilberto Floriani - not without satisfaction - to get in touch in a stable and organic way with the  cultural activity debate that takes place on a national level. The turnout in the days of the Festival at Palazzo Gagliardi and in the other locations shows that this city wants to confront and open up to different realities ".

Floriani drew attention to another no less important aspect for the success of the Reading & Writing Festival, the role of sponsors: "The relationship between the world of business and that of culture is fundamental for the development of the territory, my wish is that a virtuous circle is established ». In the foreground also the interest of the institutions: "We are grateful to the Undersecretary of State of the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities Anna Laura Orrico for her words of appreciation for our festival".

Then, she adds: "My thanks go first and foremost to Maria Teresa Marzano, who again this year was able to enrich the format with new suggestions, offering a program that covered an even wider range of tastes and interests".

Equally important is the detail that the turnout of the public had the effect of an excellent trend in book sales. Visitors did not escape the ritual of selfies and firmcopies with their favorite authors. The bookshop inside Palazzo Gagliardi also provided a sort of ranking of the most purchased books, which saw among the sales champions Mario Tozzi with How is Italy born (Mondadori), Valerio Massimo Manfredi with Sentimento italiano (SEM ), Paolo Borrometi with A dead every now and then. My campaign against the invisible mafia (Solferino) and Enrico Galiano with All the life you want (Garzanti).

The success of the Reading & Writing Festival is also in its formula. In fact, the Festival is not just an appointment with books and their authors: it is much more.

Art and figurative expressions were, for example, once again a very popular component. On the occasion of the Festival, again for this edition Palazzo Gagliardi hosted an art space curated by Antonio La Gamba, with installations of works by the Bottega Aperta Limen. In addition, the Guardians of the Forest exhibition, the fruit of four years of work by the Vibonese photographer Roger Lo Guarro, should be highlighted. Palazzo Gagliardi also hosted the art space curated by Antonio La Gamba, with installations of works by the Bottega Aperta Limen. Two important exhibitions featured Gino Achille and his affectionate drawings by him who recalled the old Monteleone and Giuseppe Morello who showed an unusual photographic shot of the historic Affruntata of Vibo Valentia.

And again, the Junior Reading & Writing space, curated by Katia Rosi, with its 30 scheduled appointments: workshops, laboratories and a rich series of other initiatives. A wonderful experience that has provided the little ones with the opportunity to grow through culture, discover the world of books and stimulate their imagination.

Furthermore, for the third consecutive year the Reading & Writing Festival paid tribute to the violinist from Vibonese Greta Medini, who died prematurely in 2016, with the review Greta à jamais, curated by Giovanni Puddu. "This event was a noble initiative towards this city," said Antonia Comito, the pianist from Vibo who accompanied the baritone Lucio Gallo on the piano.

"The memory of Greta is very much alive for all of us - added the pianist - It is nice to remember her talent through an event that also provides space for young musicians".

In short, a Festival able to take care of every aspect in the variegated artistic-cultural panorama, without however falling into the obvious, always with the right rhythms and in step with the times and the needs of each generation. Why Read & Write has also established itself as a social event: Facebook and Instagram profiles have had a 30% increase in interactions compared to last year. Increase that also concerned the presence in the national media.

It is appropriate to say: “Mission accomplished”!

Also this year the extraordinary success is the confirmation that the goal has been achieved, as the organizers wanted.

"Our main idea - confirms Gilberto Floriani - was to put Vibo Valentia and Calabria at the center of the cultural debate, opposing the 'marginality syndrome', the ability to focus on the potential of the territory, on its creative energy, on the will to measure and deal with the stimuli coming from outside ».

"The challenge was to offer an ever wider range of themes and voices that are different and even conflicting with each other - reiterates the artistic director Maria Teresa Marzano - because we believe in the value of diversity and critical confrontation: education to freedom comes first of all with education in listening and it is nice to recognize in the public, every time more, this attitude of openness: the ambition, in our small way, is to build bridges where walls are raised and we work continuously in this direction ».

It is appropriate, then, to wish "good work" ... and that it does not stop there!