Italian Book Capital: Ministry of Culture visits Nardò

Italian Book Capital: Ministry of Culture visits Nardò

A delegation from the Ministry of Culture and the National School of Heritage and Cultural Activities recently conducted an inspection in Nardò as part of a programme to consolidate project skills for cities shortlisted for the Italian Book Capital 2026. The initiative is organised in collaboration with the Centre for Books and Reading.

The aim is to enable finalist municipalities to turn their candidature dossiers into sustainable projects, moving beyond the single-winner model and strengthening networks, partnerships and fundraising capacity.

Nardò presented the project "Nardò, Capital of Regenerative Reading: Territories, Communities, Future", which seeks to use reading as a tool for territorial regeneration by showcasing local festivals, the revived Biblioteca Vergari and the intermunicipal library system Nardò-Conversano.

Coordinated by cultural councillor Francesco Plantera, the visit covered reading points and cultural attractors identified in the project. Sites visited included:

• Porto Selvaggio Park
• Historic farmsteads (Torrenova, Brusca)
• Coastal areas and marinas
• Museum of Memory and Reception and Salento Aquarium
• Biblioteca Vergari and the botanical garden
• Diocesan Museum, Prehistory Museum, Rural Civilization Museum and the city castle
• Carmelite cloister and historic residences

The support programme foresees joint training activities for finalist cities: a masterclass for exchanging best practices, courses on networks and partnerships and on fundraising, workshops and one-to-one meetings with instructors to refine project ideas.

Plantera described the visit as “a valuable opportunity to present concretely the work Nardò is carrying out to promote reading and culture as tools for growth, participation and social cohesion,” underlining the city’s strengthened commitment for future candidacies.