Chi, Italy’s most-read ‘people’ magazine, presents the new edition of ‘By Moonlight’, the exclusive event founded on charity that – after last summer’s success – returns this year to Emilia-Romagna in a beautiful location, the Palace Hotel in Milano Marittima, where it will have a massive impact.

An unmissable summer party based on the magical and evocative notes of the theme ‘By Moonlight’ – which will take place on Thursday, 27 June with the involvement of more than two hundred personalities and stars from jet setters, show business, politics, business and the local area – and which will above all be about having a generous and supportive heart.

After the ‘Let’s Help Emilia-Romagna Together’ fundraiser launched last May by Mondadori Media together with Banca Mediolanum, Chi continues its commitment to this region: the entire proceeds from the 2024 Gala Dinner will be donated to support the purchase of a state-of-the-art ultrasound scanner for the work done by the Infant and Paediatric Neonatology ward of Rimini Hospital.

“Today, after years and years of social events, what makes the difference and what makes me still take part is that they serve a purpose”, said Alfonso Signorini, Chi‘’s editorial director. “That’s why I’m so delighted that, after last year’s successful goal, this year Chi is again working to raise funds for less fortunate children. Their smiles will be with us on the ‘By Moonlight’ night and we will do our utmost to make them even more radiant again!”

“I’m especially happy that the second edition of ‘By Moonlight’ will take place again in Romagna, in the Hotel Palace in Milano Marittima. Not only because it’s a location that is in a way part of the history of Chi, but also because the success of last year’s charity dinner for the people affected by the floods shows that Romagna is a generous and hard-working place”, stressed Massimo Borgnis, Chi’s editor-in-chief, who went on to say: “Just a few days ago, we gifted an ambulance to the 118 in Ravenna, which is one of the five projects financed by the 160,000 euros raised last year. The other projects, which are nearing completion, are for kindergartens. With the children still in mind, this year we decided to donate the proceeds of the charity dinner to purchasing a state-of-the-art ultrasound scanner for the Neonatology and Paediatrics Department of Rimini Hospital. Because the most beautiful outcome that an evening like this can achieve is to bring smiles to the faces of so many children and their families”, finished Borgnis.

An exclusive evening 

Chi ‘s association with the Batani Select Hotels Group continues: the Palace Hotel in Milano Marittima, a five-star hotel belonging to the Batani Group, will host the large invitation-only party ‘By Moonlight’.

“I’m delighted that the collaboration with Chi and Mondadori Media, with whom we have a long-standing friendship, continues year after year. Last year’s event, which took place in the Grand Hotel in Rimini to support the flood victims, lit up the summer of the Adriatic Riviera and I am certain that the 2024 edition of the event will also be beautiful and have a massive impact. I am moved by Chi and Mondadori Media’s willingness to continue the charity year after year, this year supporting paediatrics. It’s a special evening with an even greater meaning, given everyone’s commitment”, said Paola Batani, CEO of the Batani Select Hotels Group.

The exclusive event will start at 7 p.m. with a welcome cocktail in the majestic setting of the new Milano Marittima waterfront. Afterwards, guests will move to the beach where the Gala Charity Dinner will begin: the placée dinner reserved for over 200 guests, including entrepreneurs, associations and personalities from the world of entertainment, who have chosen to be there and give their support. The evening will continue with an after party on the hotel’s private beach, which will be transformed into an exclusive club with musical performances, DJ sets, an open bar and many corners that will provide guests with entertainment and fun. And a musical surprise…

On Chi‘s Instagram account, users will be able to follow all stages of the evening live, which will be reported minute by minute (@chimagazineit; #alCHIarodiluna).

Event sponsors and partners

Joining Chi on this special occasion will be institutions and companies, who have responded to the appeal for support launched by the magazine, also participating in the event in cooperation with Piemme, the brand’s exclusive dealer.

These include: Andrea Mereghetti, VIP travel agent, with his Dreamsteam, Assolombarda, Atelier Nieri, the Barzan law firm, De Marquet, Discover Cervia (the emblem of ‘Cervia In per il turismo’, the participatory foundation in the Municipality of Cervia and private stakeholders), GroupM, Mondadori Media, Orogel, Piemme, Publicis Groupe, Visit Romagna.

With over 200 beauty salons in Italy and abroad, beauty company Hair Collection, the international franchise founded and directed by Salvo Filetti Hair Designer, will offer guests unique hairstyling; Partesa will provide the wines for dinner; Spirito Reale will be the star of the cocktails by the pool and on the beach with an open bar until late at night, the lighting will be by Platek, and the elegant and refined atmosphere will feature differently-scented candles offered by Yankee Candle.

Freshly will set up a beauty corner, Eurotarget will take care of accompanying guests to the big event and, finally, Msc will have a nice surprise for all guests. On the beach there will also be: a corner with a telescope by the Arar Association to see the stars, stations to interact with AI thanks to OMAI, an AI development laboratory for events, a relaxation corner, and a stage for musical performances and DJ sets, organised by Visit Romagna, which will make Milano Marittima the preview of Pink Night, the special event that will take place along 110 kilometres of the Romagna coastline, from 5 to 7 July. A special partner for this edition will be the Food Network with whom CHI has just launched a new TV show where Massimo Borgnis and Roberto Valbuzzi travel around Italy describing the ‘Inns of the Heart‘. Roberto Valbuzzi, a much-loved chef and TV personality, will not only be there at the event, but will also co-host the charity dinner menu with Palace Hotel executive chef Roberto Scarpelli.

The creative set-up is entrusted to the Palace Hotel in Milano Marittima together with the Left&Right agency.

Debuting on 5 September with an essay by Tony Blair on the art of governing is the new Silvio Berlusconi Editore, a publishing house founded by Mondadori Group with the purpose of focusing on liberal and democratic thought.

‘Silvio Berlusconi Editore,’ explains Marina Berlusconi, President of the Group ,‘will have a very precise objective: fighting for the concept of freedom and giving a voice to its broadest variations, while remaining absolutely separate from any form of political militancy. We decided to name this new publishing house after my father, Silvio Berlusconi, because his projects, his achievements, his life were founded on freedom. With no compromises. Talking about freedom today is more important than ever. Our society, Western society, appears increasingly threatened: wars, strengthening autocratic regimes, and the aversion that not a few of us show for the values our history was built on, starting with the most precious asset we have, freedom. An asset that we now see called into question.

Series

The publishing house will release a limited number of titles each year, divided into two series. The first, ‘Biblioteca’, will collect important books to be published or republished, translated for the first time or translated again, but classic books nevertheless, either already recognised or destined to become so. ‘Libera’, the second series, is dedicated to contemporary authors tackling open questions on current events. In fact, the publisher aims to alternate past and present beyond any scheme, while focusing on both literature and non-fiction, Italian and foreign authors.

Titles Being Released

With On Leadership. Lessons for the 21st Century, Tony Blair has written a manual for ‘an art of good governance’ that he wished he had known when he began his long political career. A synthesis of lessons in leadership from years of experience at the top of a large, long-standing liberal democracy.

A work that answers some fundamental questions: How can we prioritise and deal with crises? How can we balance short-term victories with long-term structural changes? What is the best way to attract investment, to reform healthcare or education and to ensure citizen safety? And what should governments do to take advantage of the enormous opportunities of the 21st-century technological revolution? A decade at the helm of the United Kingdom, a commitment to supporting developing countries, working for peace in the Middle East and the fight against extremism have given Tony Blair the tools to judge today’s political situation clearly, immersing himself in various and often conflicting settings and scenarios.

Chi, Italy’s most-read ‘people’ magazine, presents the new edition of ‘By Moonlight’, the exclusive event founded on charity that – after last summer’s success – returns this year to Emilia-Romagna in a beautiful location, the Palace Hotel in Milano Marittima, where it will have a massive impact.

An unmissable summer party based on the magical and evocative notes of the theme ‘By Moonlight’ – which will take place on Thursday, 27 June with the involvement of more than two hundred personalities and stars from jet setters, show business, politics, business and the local area – and which will above all be about having a generous and supportive heart.

After the ‘Let’s Help Emilia-Romagna Together’ fundraiser launched last May by Mondadori Media together with Banca Mediolanum, Chi continues its commitment to this region: the entire proceeds from the 2024 Gala Dinner will be donated to support the purchase of a state-of-the-art ultrasound scanner for the work done by the Infant and Paediatric Neonatology ward of Rimini Hospital.

“Today, after years and years of social events, what makes the difference and what makes me still take part is that they serve a purpose”, said Alfonso Signorini, Chi‘’s editorial director. “That’s why I’m so delighted that, after last year’s successful goal, this year Chi is again working to raise funds for less fortunate children. Their smiles will be with us on the ‘By Moonlight’ night and we will do our utmost to make them even more radiant again!”

“I’m especially happy that the second edition of ‘By Moonlight’ will take place again in Romagna, in the Hotel Palace in Milano Marittima. Not only because it’s a location that is in a way part of the history of Chi, but also because the success of last year’s charity dinner for the people affected by the floods shows that Romagna is a generous and hard-working place”, stressed Massimo Borgnis, Chi’s editor-in-chief, who went on to say: “Just a few days ago, we gifted an ambulance to the 118 in Ravenna, which is one of the five projects financed by the 160,000 euros raised last year. The other projects, which are nearing completion, are for kindergartens. With the children still in mind, this year we decided to donate the proceeds of the charity dinner to purchasing a state-of-the-art ultrasound scanner for the Neonatology and Paediatrics Department of Rimini Hospital. Because the most beautiful outcome that an evening like this can achieve is to bring smiles to the faces of so many children and their families”, finished Borgnis.

An exclusive evening 

Chi ‘s association with the Batani Select Hotels Group continues: the Palace Hotel in Milano Marittima, a five-star hotel belonging to the Batani Group, will host the large invitation-only party ‘By Moonlight’.

“I’m delighted that the collaboration with Chi and Mondadori Media, with whom we have a long-standing friendship, continues year after year. Last year’s event, which took place in the Grand Hotel in Rimini to support the flood victims, lit up the summer of the Adriatic Riviera and I am certain that the 2024 edition of the event will also be beautiful and have a massive impact. I am moved by Chi and Mondadori Media’s willingness to continue the charity year after year, this year supporting paediatrics. It’s a special evening with an even greater meaning, given everyone’s commitment”, said Paola Batani, CEO of the Batani Select Hotels Group.

The exclusive event will start at 7 p.m. with a welcome cocktail in the majestic setting of the new Milano Marittima waterfront. Afterwards, guests will move to the beach where the Gala Charity Dinner will begin: the placée dinner reserved for over 200 guests, including entrepreneurs, associations and personalities from the world of entertainment, who have chosen to be there and give their support. The evening will continue with an after party on the hotel’s private beach, which will be transformed into an exclusive club with musical performances, DJ sets, an open bar and many corners that will provide guests with entertainment and fun. And a musical surprise…

On Chi‘s Instagram account, users will be able to follow all stages of the evening live, which will be reported minute by minute (@chimagazineit; #alCHIarodiluna).

Event sponsors and partners

Joining Chi on this special occasion will be institutions and companies, who have responded to the appeal for support launched by the magazine, also participating in the event in cooperation with Piemme, the brand’s exclusive dealer.

These include: Andrea Mereghetti, VIP travel agent, with his Dreamsteam, Assolombarda, Atelier Nieri, the Barzan law firm, De Marquet, Discover Cervia (the emblem of ‘Cervia In per il turismo’, the participatory foundation in the Municipality of Cervia and private stakeholders), GroupM, Mondadori Media, Orogel, Piemme, Publicis Groupe, Visit Romagna.

With over 200 beauty salons in Italy and abroad, beauty company Hair Collection, the international franchise founded and directed by Salvo Filetti Hair Designer, will offer guests unique hairstyling; Partesa will provide the wines for dinner; Spirito Reale will be the star of the cocktails by the pool and on the beach with an open bar until late at night, the lighting will be by Platek, and the elegant and refined atmosphere will feature differently-scented candles offered by Yankee Candle.

Freshly will set up a beauty corner, Eurotarget will take care of accompanying guests to the big event and, finally, Msc will have a nice surprise for all guests. On the beach there will also be: a corner with a telescope by the Arar Association to see the stars, stations to interact with AI thanks to OMAI, an AI development laboratory for events, a relaxation corner, and a stage for musical performances and DJ sets, organised by Visit Romagna, which will make Milano Marittima the preview of Pink Night, the special event that will take place along 110 kilometres of the Romagna coastline, from 5 to 7 July. A special partner for this edition will be the Food Network with whom CHI has just launched a new TV show where Massimo Borgnis and Roberto Valbuzzi travel around Italy describing the ‘Inns of the Heart‘. Roberto Valbuzzi, a much-loved chef and TV personality, will not only be there at the event, but will also co-host the charity dinner menu with Palace Hotel executive chef Roberto Scarpelli.

The creative set-up is entrusted to the Palace Hotel in Milano Marittima together with the Left&Right agency.

The Mondadori Group participates in the celebration of love in all its forms and nuances through some of the most interesting and representative books published by our publishing houses, dealing with themes such as diversity.

In our Group, we strive every day to build a more inclusive world where everyone can feel loved and accepted. So this month, through the power of words, writing and reading, we want to promote stories that speak a universal language: the language of love.

Here comes #InviaggioconChi, the new digital format that Chi, Italy’s most widely read people magazine, is dedicating to rediscovering the riches of the Bel Paese.

Accompanying editor Massimo Borgnis on the six stages of the program – available from today, Monday, 17 June, every week on the brand’s Instagram and YouTube channels – will be the exuberant Margherita Zanatta, the TAAG! talent with an unmistakable voice, a hilarious content creator, radio speaker, author, television presenter and founder of the Disagio Club.

Together they will cross the whole Boot ‘on the road’ to discover well-known locations, unconventional places and hidden gems in the country: from the Sacro Monte of Varese to the village of Vendersi (AL), known as the Village of the Scarecrows, from the colourful Via dei Presepi San Gregorio Armeno in Naples to the Sanctuary of Ripalta, immersed in the olive groves of Cerignola, passing through the ruins left by the Serenissima in Bergamo Alta to the ‘ideal city’ of the Renaissance, Sabbioneta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

“#InviaggioconChi is an opportunity to show our readers little-known or even undiscovered places that are easy to reach and that can be an opportunity to rediscover hidden stories linked to wonderful places in our country and for an outing that is both fun and educational”, stressed Chi’s editor Massimo Borgnis. “This is all done with a sense of humour, thanks to the wit of my priceless travelling companion, Margherita Zanatta”, Borgnis added.

The common thread that links the episodes of this first edition of #InviaggioconChi are the inns that are the stars of the new Food Network television program on Channel 33, “Locande del cuore’” – created and written by Massimo Borgnis – and hosted with Roberto Valbuzzi, the well-known chef and owner of the restaurant Crotto Valtellina – airing from Tuesday, 18 June at 22:00.

A partner of #InviaggioconChi, thanks to Piemme, Chi’s exclusive dealer, is the KGM Torres car from the Koelliker Group, which will take readers and users across Italy to discover our beautiful country.

Chi, Italy’s most widely read weekly people magazine, with an audience of almost 1.5 million readers and almost 1.1 million followers on Instagram and Facebook (Source: Audiopress 2024/I and FB and IG Insights), tells the stories of the public’s most loved and followed personalities, ranging from the world of entertainment to politics, from sports to fashion and lifestyle. The attention given to photo quality, the constant search for news and above all the exclusive and trusting relationship with celebrities are what make the magazine unique. Making a name for itself from the very beginnings thanks to its absolutely original format for Italy, Chi combines the stories of the “natural stars” and people with space dedicated to fashion and beauty.

What are the expectations and how are boys and girls preparing for the upcoming State Examinations? What most influenced them when choosing the path they will take after the exams? What is their opinion on such a topical issue as Artificial Intelligence?

Studenti.it, a Mondadori Group brand and a reference point for Gen Z at school, asked its community in view of the upcoming State Examinations that will be held on 19 June: over 1,600 young people responded within 48 hours.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS NOT A THREAT BUT AN OPPORTUNITY

According to the survey conducted by Studenti.it, the majority of high school seniors (70 per cent) see Artificial Intelligence as an opportunity for their future, given the speed at which the world of work is changing, while only 30 per cent view this new reality with fear.
The recent development of AI has also directly affected the post-diploma choices of 36% of respondents, who said they took this into account when considering their future path after high school. In contrast, 64% stated that it did not influence their choice because they still knew too little about it.

With regard to their future after school, the majority of those who had already decided (45%) opted for university (35%). There were still many undecided (55%) whose concerns will disappear in the coming months, reaffirming the importance of orientation programmes throughout their school career.

THE USE OF SUPPORTS, NOT ONLY TECHNOLOGICAL, FOR STUDY

Studenti.it asked its users what was the tool they used most to prepare for the 2024 State Examinations and how much they used digital tools in their study hours. The PC, chosen by 40 per cent of the final year students, was considered the most convenient device for accessing various learning resources – including notes, e-books and videos – and also the most suitable for long study sessions (over four hours a day for 53 per cent of the final year students).
In total, 3 out of 4 students stated that they use digital media for study (in addition to PCs, tablets 9%, smartphones 8% and AI 7%).
In addition, 27% of young people take dietary supplements to improve their memory and concentration while studying.

HOW TO RELAX AFTER STUDYING

After many hours of study, how do students on the cusp of their exams relax? The Studenti.it survey shows that playing sports (25%) and listening to music (15%) are the most frequently used strategies.

Studenti is the Mondadori Group brand leader in Italy for the digital market in the education category, with 4.3 million users (source Audiweb). It is a reference point for Gen-Z at school, thanks to a dynamic and constantly evolving editorial offer, characterised by innovative languages and content and a team of young creators. This is a formula that has allowed Studenti to reach over 1.5 million followers on social media (Social Insights), on TikTok – where it is followed by 927 thousand users – Facebook, Telegram and on YouTube (StudentiTV) where students access guides and tutorials to prepare for exams.

Mondadori Store, the largest network of bookstores in Italy, opens a new store dedicated to the world of books, culture and entertainment in San Giorgio a Cremano (NA) tomorrow on Thursday, 6 June at 6 pm.

The new Mondadori Bookstore – which expands the already extensive Mondadori Store network – shows itself to be a true cultural stronghold for locals, tourists, and especially the younger generation. The bookstore fits into a central and strategic environment, supported by the presence of schools, in line with the network’s objective of spreading culture and promoting reading to the widest possible audience.

“Our family has been carrying on the bookstore tradition for a long time. The first bookstore has a long history rooted in this region. It was founded in 1980 in San Giorgio a Cremano based on the vision of my father, Antonio Marsiglia, who from the very beginning specialised in collecting and selling books of all kinds”, said Daniela Marsiglia, Mondadori Store franchisee. “Since that time, we haven’t stopped growing and developing our business, always looking to meet the different needs of a market that has become increasingly large and demanding, and updating our stores with modern computer systems. Today, thanks to the support of Mondadori Retail, we have been able to open this new store in San Giorgio a Cremano, thus strengthening our role as a cultural outpost throughout the Vesuvian area”, finished the franchisee.

The new bookstore covers 110 m² and offers a selection of around 10,000 titles, from the great classics to best sellers – including fiction, non-fiction and miscellaneous – with a particular focus on early readers with the We are Junior format, which includes educational games and illustrated books to stimulate children’s imagination with the most fascinating stories, and the department dedicated to manga and comics, Just Comic. Areas dedicated to #BookTok, for the new generation of readers, local publishing, as well as stationery, toys, gift cards and gift boxes, also expand the store’s offer. 

The Mondadori Bookstore in San Giorgio a Cremano is entirely dedicated to readers not only inside the store, thanks to the support of specialised and highly qualified staff, but also online. That’s why customers can get updates via theFacebook and Instagrampages or get in touch with the store through the Mondadoristore.it digital services. With this service, they can check if a book is available, order it and pick it up in the store, choosing from a catalogue of over 1 million titles.

Mondadori Store, the largest bookstore network in Italy, will inaugurate the bookstore in Marzano Appio (CE) inside the Plaza Shopping Centre today at 10 a.m. Mondadori Store further expands its already extensive network of bookstores, providing the public with a new standard dedicated to the world of books, culture and entertainment in the Caserta province.

“The Mondadori Bookstore in Marzano Appio – a municipality of medieval origin that owes its name to the famous Marzano family – responds to the desire to create a true cultural stronghold for the region in a place that’s already steeped in history”, said Salvatore Iumiento, when asked about his eleventh bookstore as a Mondadori Store franchisee, after the previous opening in Conversano (BA). “The goal, which we share with the network, is to offer a meeting place in the area for readers of all ages, encouraging sociability and reading, which we’ll also be able to accomplish thanks to collaborating with cultural associations engaged in the promotion of books”, Iumiento finished.

The new bookstore covers 150 m² and offers a selection of around 18,000 titles, focusing on books, from the great classics to best sellers, without forgetting early readers with the We are Junior format, which includes educational games and illustrated books to stimulate children’s imagination with the most fascinating stories, and the department dedicated to the phenomenon of manga and comics, Just Comics. There is also an area dedicated to stationery, along with gift boxes, gift cards and a selection of eReaders to expand the store’s offer.

The Mondadori Bookstore in Marzano Appio also serves readers online: customers can be updated on all the activities and events planned through the Facebook and Instagram pages. They will also be able to get in touch with the store through the Mondadoristore.it digital services to check if a book is available, order it and pick it up in the store, choosing from a catalogue of over 1 million titles.

There was great success for MypersonalTrainer, the Mondadori Media brand leader in the health and wellness sector, which this year attended the MypersonalRimini event at RiminiWellness, the largest international event dedicated to fitness and wellness, which took place from 30 May to 2 June at the Rimini Trade Fair and Riviera.

For the first time MypersonalTrainer completely customised a stage in the 1,000 m2 pavilion in collaboration with wellness ambassador Jill Cooper.

Over the event’s four days, the public was able to enjoy 60 free workouts for different free body disciplines, which sold out immediately. As well as lessons and workouts, which featured coaches and fitfluencers like Jill Cooper and her team, Nicolò Famiglietti, Lisa Alborghetti, Silvia Fascians – all three from Power Talent Agency – together with Roberta Vanzella, Marianna Balsamo, Monia Di Cocco, Tamara Tanzilli, and Ilaria Castagnino, MypersonalTrainer created the Wellness Recharge Area: a space where the public could take a moment to relax and look after their bodies, thanks also to equipment for decontracting massages, and recharge their devices at special stations.

Activities with brand partners

MypersonalTrainer also had branded content and social media storytelling in collaboration with Brand On Solutions, a unit dedicated to special initiatives by retailer Mediamond.
For HiPRO, a Danone brand specialising in high-protein products, MypersonalTrainer created a video to share the story of the experiences offered by the brand at RiminiWellness, with the involvement of Dany Resconi, a food creator with a large social following who is part of the Zenzero Talent Agency roster, and Laura Crugnola, a Power Talent Agency talent, nutrition ambassador for the event and sports nutrition expert.
A video report about all the brand’s activities during the event was produced together with Rio Mare: there was a stage with numerous classes to train on, a stand with entertainment activities and a food truck to try out many light and tasty tuna recipes.

Media partnership with RiminiWellness

As RiminiWellness’s media partner for the third consecutive year, MypersonalTrainer, the leading publishing brand in the world of health and wellness, once again cemented that it shared the values that have always driven the famous event, which is now in its 18th edition: love for fitness, sport, wellness and personal care.
Thanks to extensive daily social media coverage with dedicated video stories and reels, MypersonalTrainer also provided the fit lover community with a broad overview of both its own activities and the entire event for the duration of the event.

Roadmap to MypersonalTrainer Days

MypersonalRimini was also where they launched the third edition of the Mypersonaltrainer Days, which will be held on 14 and 15 September in the heart of Milan, and the related new advertising campaign – created and produced by the Casiraghi Greco& agency and positioned in strategic locations throughout the Rimini event.

After last year’s success with more than 10,000 visitors and the involvement of over 20 brand sponsors, the Arco della Pace will come alive again for an entire weekend with free activities dedicated to fitness, health, wellness, experiential corners and with the participation of personalities from the world of sport, special guests and fitfluencers.

Many new features will be announced very soon. For all updates: www.my-personaltrainer.it/myptdays.

MypersonalTrainer: the strength of a well-rounded digital and live brand

With the success reported at RiminiWellness 2024 and in anticipation of the big event in September, MypersonalTrainer cements its ability to excel in the world of health and wellness not only as a digital brand, topping the web and social media rankings, but also increasingly strengthening its presence as a star in the world of events in the area, offering its brand partners the fruitful cultivation of in-person contact with its audience.

Mypersonaltrainer is Mondadori Media’s leading brand in the world of health, wellness, and healthy and functional sports nutrition, with 14 million unique monthly users (source: Audiweb Total Digital Audience January 2024) and over 6 million followers on socials (source: Comscore Shareablee and Social Insights April 2024).

Fondamenta, a foundation for art and cultural education, was created by Electa Editore on the anniversary of its 80^th birthday.

Fondamenta is rooted in Electa’s wealth of experience in projects for publishing, heritage enhancement and creating and organising exhibitions and cultural events.

The name Fondamenta was inspired by the exhibition of the same name that writer Daniele Del Giudice

launched and curated between 1999 and 2003 in Venice, involving some of the world’s leading authors and artists. Fondamenta was the template for many festivals to come: it was the first to promote reading and the powerful discussion on current affairs that it generates; it was the first to bring the public into contact with intellectuals from various backgrounds and disciplines; it was the first to bring such a high level of cultural debate and performance events to the streets.

Fondamenta would like to be a “working framework”, and to work with others. Ours is a very open, very multifaceted idea of art and literature. We cannot take a step forward without taking a step back; we cannot understand the new if we do not see how much of the continuum, of the old, of the past, there is in the new.

These were Del Giudice’s words when he presented the project at the time, which not only still resonate evocatively and powerfully today, but even seem to trace the path to re-embracing the civil value of debating ideas and the arts to try to envision forms of communal happiness.

The intention is for the new Foundation to be animated and driven by the same spirit. To create open and vital opportunities for cultural sharing, celebrating the most virtuous and successful links between high and popular culture, to return to the principles of peaceful coexistence, inclusiveness and creativity that inspired the best of, again to quote Del Giudice, our “western atlas”.

GOALS

“Fondamenta is the culmination of a cultural adventure that has united a group of people who have visited, thought and worked at Electa over the years. From this resounding accord came the idea that formed the vision and helped make the leap. Fondamenta will implement educational and cultural projects for institutions and communities; at the same time it will be a place for experimental and broad thinking to synthesise our cultural heritage, the conflicts and rifts of the present, and the visions of the future”, explained Carlotta Branzanti, Director of the Fondamenta Foundation.

FONDAMENTA WAS CREATED TO:

• Reflect on contemporary visual culture: bringing the history of art and images back to the centre of interpretation of contemporary events and topical and urgent debates;
• Reconnect the arts to “read” our world: rediscovering the sparkling canvas that unites art, history, literature, poetry, music, theatre, cinema, to “really see” reality and promote an interconnected model of reading and multimedia knowledge;

• Create new ways of “reading” the Italian regions and landscape: enlightened and guided by the fundamental experience of Luigi Ghirri’s “Journey in Italy”, who sensed and shared with his “electiv” group the urgent need to transform the view of the Italian landscape through photography and literature, we would like to propose, through discussions with local communities and large centres, respectful and measured models of knowledge and visits to the regions, which are not just “nostalgic” visions and that can embody emerging values;

• Educate people in the arts and their heritage by original and incisive means of expression, matching methods, languages and principles primarily to the desires and demands that young people express;

• Experiment and innovate with the help of quality partners to envision, research and realise new forms of cultural communication on the narrative of the present and the future, and on the much-debated relationship between art, representation and multimedia.

WHAT THE FOUNDATION WILL DO:

• it will organise cultural events and festivals for institutions and local authorities together with quality partners;
• it will support public and private cultural institutions in cultural enhancement and co-design, including through participation in calls for tenders addressed to non-profit organisations and through public-private partnerships;
• it will develop new products and forms of storytelling, including digital, for culture;
• it will design ‘cultural participation’ activities in towns and small centres that reinvent the narratives of small and large stories using the expressions and languages of the arts in the regions.

Fondamenta will also be a place for thought and design, for creating new forms of cultural communication, as well as for experimenting and hybridising disciplines that make up the world of the ‘arts’, which, if they do not mix and interact with the major themes of modern times, risk losing touch with communities and young people.

The launch of the website will be accompanied by the zeroth issue of FM, Fondamenta Magazine, which, like a radio tuned to the conversation between original voices in the Italian cultural landscape, will amplify the debate behind the ‘laboratory’ of Fondamenta projects.

In the first episode, there will be original contributions by Chiara Alessi, Gabriele Pedullà, Vanessa Roghi, Silvia Bencivelli and Giulia Cavaliere focused on certain ‘frequencies’ – key to laying the foundations for future projects.

WHO WE ARE

The chairship is entrusted to Rosanna Cappelli, Managing Director of Electa Editore. The Foundation will be directed by Carlotta Branzanti.

In addition to the Chair, the Board of Directors will be comprised of Annapaola Negri-Clementi, Ernesto Franco, Guido Guerzoni and Enrico Selva.

Collaborating in the development of Fondamenta’s projects are professionals and companies that have gained in-depth design skills, experience and relationships in museum, publishing, educational, communication and cultural promotion settings and come from different disciplines – from visual arts to literature, from architecture to graphic design, from art history and criticism to economics, journalism and digital communication.

Mondadori Store, the largest network of bookstores in Italy, will inaugurate a new bookstore in Pontecagnano Faiano (SA), in Corso Italia, 18/20, near the Piazza Sabbato, town centre, on Saturday, 25 May at 10.00 a.m.

The new Mondadori Bookstore will offer the entire public in the town of Salerno, which is already home to the Costa d’Amalfi airport and which is undergoing urban development, a centre entirely dedicated to the world of books, culture and entertainment, thus creating an interactive meeting point and a true cultural reference point for locals and tourists alike.

The Pontecagnano Faiano bookstore – led by a team of young booksellers – expands the already extensive Mondadori Store network in the area, in line with the network’s strategy of spreading culture and promoting reading.

“I am happy to create this project with the Mondadori Store network of bookstores, since we share the same goals: to develop places dedicated to culture throughout Italy, making it accessible to everyone and satisfying the tastes of a wide public”, said franchisee Antonio Verderame, who has now opened his eleventh bookstore after the three in Salerno and those in Pagani, Mercato San Severino, Cava de’ Tirreni, Castellabate, Manduria, Baronissi and Arezzo. “Furthermore, by focusing on the quality of the shopping experience, multi-channel services and events, we always put the needs of our reading customers at the centre of our work”, he added.

The new bookstore covers 70 m² and offers a selection of around 11,000 titles, from the great classics to best sellers – including fiction, non-fiction and miscellaneous – and that’s not forgetting early readers with the We are Junior format, which includes educational games and illustrated books to stimulate children’s imagination with the most fascinating stories, and the department dedicated to manga and comics, Just Comic. Areas dedicated to #BookTok, for the new generation of readers, local publishing, as well as stationery, toys, gift cards and gift boxes, also expand the store’s offer. 

The Mondadori Bookstore in Pontecagnano Faiano also serves readers online: customers can be updated on all the activities and events planned through the Facebook and Instagram pages. They will also be able to get in touch with the store through the Mondadoristore.it digital services to check if a book is available, order it and pick it up in the store, choosing from a catalogue of over 1 million titles.