PVLF 2025

Italy Takes Center Stage at Lima International Book Fair 2025

Italy opens its Guest of Honor program at the Lima Book Fair 2025 with 50+ events, authors, films, and exhibitions celebrating 150 years of ties.
on Jul 18, 2025

Italy opened its Guest of Honor program at the 29th Lima International Book Fair to South America with a complex cultural and literary exhibition. The event is held from July 18 through August 6, with a lively Italian lineup that includes more than 50 activities, 13 leading authors, five shows, three concerts, and a film festival to portray the strong tradition of the bond between Italy and Peru.

The Italian delegation's attendance is presented under the title "Latin Connections," on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the 1874 Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation between Peru and Italy. The opening ceremony, which was conducted on July 17, featured Massimiliano Mazzanti, Ambassador of Italy to Peru, and Innocenzo Cipolletta, President of the Association of Italian Publishers (AIE).

“This year marks a milestone,” Cipolletta stated. “Italy has been Guest of Honor across three continents—Asia (Taipei), Europe (Thessaloniki), and now South America in Lima. Spanish remains the leading language for the translation of Italian books, with 993 titles sold for translation in 2023 alone.”

Based on AIE data, there has been a high influx of Italian book translations in South America—125 titles in 2001 and 456 titles in 2023—mirroring increased literary exchange and reader demand.

Six Cultural Sections to Discover

The Italian pavilion covering six selected sections in Parque Próceres de la Independencia is:

In Dialogue – Exploring historical connections between Italy and Peru

Stories That Remain – Featuring turning points in Italian literary history

Signs and Visions – Mapping visual stories in film and comics

Investigation Into Writing – Celebrating Italian literary movements and influences

Inside the Present – Examining key issues of the day

The Rhythm of the Word – Committed to poetry and performance POETRYnpm

One of the most exciting highlights of the program is the Italian Film Festival, with 14 movies based on literary works, including the classic Il Gattopardo (The Leopard) by Luchino Visconti, screened at the Martín Adán Auditorium.

Exhibitions and Industry Participation

Some of the most interesting exhibitions include:

Young Pencils, organized by Bologna Children's Book Fair, highlighting new Italian illustrators

Dear Pinocchio, redesigning the classic character in Italian style

Matera, Basilicata, a photographic tour across Italy's 2019 European Capital of Culture

Between Two Worlds, celebrating Italian-Peruvian scientist Antonio Raimondi

Italian publishers attending the fair are Mondadori Libri, Donzelli Editore, EL Edizioni, Giulio Perrone Editore, Edizioni NPE / Burno Edizioni, IT Publishing, and ALMA Edizioni.

July 21 to 23, the fair will also stage its ninth edition of the International Conference of Publishing Professionals, with sessions where Italian publishers will share their experience on global market expansion.

A Growing Cultural Bridge

Italian Ambassador Mazzanti highlighted the cultural richness of the program, urging Peruvian citizens as well as the Italian community in Lima to participate in the events. "This project is not only an exhibition but also a stage for dialogue, exchange, and common visions that continue to bloom even after 150 years of diplomatic and cultural relations," he said.

The Lima International Book Fair, organized by the Peruvian Chamber of Books, is still among the most comprehensive public literary events in Latin America. Italy's Guest of Honor status is anticipated to deepen bilateral relations and encourage a new era of cultural cooperation between Europe and Latin America.