There’s been great success for Webboh, Italy’s number one media brand for the younger generation with a digital audience of 4.5 million followers, which closes the summer with record numbers.
Eight events in the area, all sold out, more than 50 Gen Z idols on stage at the events organised around Italy, more than 20,000 kids who took part in the eagerly awaited shows, registering significant results, and on social media with 100 million reaches and more than 1.5 million interactions.
These are results that confirm Webboh ‘s extraordinary ability to involve young people with activities that can create meaningful moments of sharing and fun. This isn’t only on social and live, but also with initiatives continuing in September to tackle the back-to-school period.

Webboh Fest: three legs sold out
Webboh Fest, a music festival – unique in Italy in terms of format and audience success – designed to bring together young people with the most followed idols on social networks, was held on three legs from July to September (Giulianova, Rimini, Mirandola). It starred singers Rosa Chemical, Sarah Toscano, El Matador, Aka 7even, Serena Brancale, Emma Muscat, Vyperr, Pucho, Valerio Mazzei and many others. Also present were the latest, trendiest creators, including Lisa Luchetta, Alberto Tozzi, Alice and Giorgia Mordenti, Kingash, together with Acapodelglobo and Arienne Make-Up, both from the Power Talent Agency roster.

All events – with free admission – were hosted by producer and presenter Andrea Prada with the participation of Sara Esposito, a creator and YouTuber with millions of followers. At the DJ set was Matteo Robert, one of Italy’s most famous Gen Z creators, and DodoJ, one of Italy’s youngest DJs.
The DeAKids broadcasts (Sky Channel 601), with creators Lisa Luchetta and Alberto Tozzi, shared what went on behind the scenes at the different legs: this exclusive content has been made available on the channel’s social networks and will be aired in a special on DeAKids on 27 September where the best moments of the Webboh Backstage Secrets Summer Tour will be revisited.
Radio Bruno was also a Webboh Fest radio partner.

Webboh Camp: between summer experience and digital education
The Webboh Camp (20 to 27 July in the Tuscan Maremma), organised with Experience Summer Camp, Italy’s number one organiser of summer camps for young people aged 6 to 22, sold out in just one month. An unforgettable week in close contact with five creators (a total of 4 million followers on TikTok alone): Alberto Tozzi, Jenni Serpi, Sara Esposito, singer Luk3 and the face of Webboh, Claudia Mariani.
But the Camp was more than just fun. The kids enjoyed a digital education with Alessio Carciofi, one of Europe’s leading experts on digital well-being. Here too, reporting on the holiday was entrusted toDeAKids cameras.

Webboh Fun at AquaFan in Riccione
Just like last year, the four dates of Webboh Fun at Aquafan (11 July, 25 July, 8 August, 22 August, at the Walky Cup at Aquafan in Riccione) turned out to be a success. At each leg, in addition to the show on stage, spectators participated in exclusive meet and greets with guests (singers and creators) with whom they could take a photo. Among the talents involved were: Acapodelglobo, Rimoldigno, Lisa Luchetta, Matteo Robert, Alberto Tozzi, Pucho, Luk3 and Ascanio, Lorenz Simonetti.

Activities with brand partners
Webboh’s summer initiatives offered brand partners additional business opportunities with diversified branded content solutions. These include five smartphone covers – each suited to a different mood – created by the Webboh community in collaboration with La Casa de Las Carcasas. The covers, launched on 5 September, were presented on 6 September during the Mirandola leg of Webboh Fest, and are on sale online and in stores.

The first two Webboh Fest legs had Webboh coordinating and working in collaboration with Brand On Solutions, Mediamond’s project area, along with cosnova Italia with essence, a well-known cosmetics brand, with the essence Spring-Summer 2024 collection and the participation of acapodelglobo and Arienne Makeup from the Power Talent Agencyroster.

Back to school: the BE YOU Webboh diary and backpack and many other activities
After the summer events, Webboh is there for the very young as they start the new school year with numerous products and various initiatives.
The BE YOU Webboh Diary, produced in collaboration with BE YOU, now in its third edition, is so successful every year that it sold out in a few days in various stores and online shops. Created together with the community, it contains more than 100 stickers, over 40 special ‘against boredom’ pages for break times, the birthdays of the best-loved creators and a brand new ‘treasure hunt’. Launched in June, it’s distributed in shopping centres, bookstores, stationery stores, and online. In addition to the diary, this year’s BE YOU Webboh collection consists of an entire stationery line with apencil case, notebooks and – the big news for 2024–2025 – the BE YOU Webboh backpack.

Webboh and Astra Make-Up are working together again, after a successful project for the 2024 Webboh Awards, for the back-to-school period. The focus for this initiative is the Astra Skin line, dedicated to skincare and beauty routines, and the launch of two new products: a Face Make-up Remover Balm and a Face Gel Cream. The initiative includes a structured publishing plan on Webboh’s social channels, and also on the website, as well as the initiative for Arianna Madonna, the face of the community, and content creator Lisa Luchetta, already the winner of the Best Teen Idol – Female category at the 2024 Webboh Awards.

From 18 September, a new collaboration with Inter-studioviaggi (in coordination and collaboration with Brand On Solutions/Mediamond) will start on Webboh’s TikTok channel. The star of this initiative will be Anaïs Mariani, TikToker and Ambassador of Inter-studioviaggi, who will meet with Arianna Madonna, one of the faces of Webboh, to talk about her experience of Year Abroad. The opportunities offered by a school year abroad will be illustrated: a unique opportunity for an exceptional educational experience.

Webboh Lab, the first permanent observatory on Gen Z emerging from a meeting between Webboh and the Sylla research institute, has partnered with Farmitalia (with the support of Brand On Solutions/Mediamond) to conduct a survey via an online smart poll involving 500 young Italians aged between 14 and 17. The results provide a picture of the perceptions, knowledge and doubts of younger generations regarding sexuality and contraception in Italy.

Webboh is the flagship media for Gen Z. Created in April 2019, it has been part of Mondadori Media since February 2023. It currently has a fanbase of 4.5 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and WhatsApp, 70% of which are under 24. The website receives 3 million unique monthly users (source: Audiweb last quarter 2024). It is in the top ten most influential Italian media companies on social media, as well as the first targeting Gen Z for engagement and video views (source: Italian Top Media Rankings for First Communication made by Sensemakers). The topicality, authenticity and interest generated by the content is guaranteed by a bottom-up editorial model: the community is involved in every part of the creative process.

On the occasion of the 2024 Pesaro Italian Capital of Culture, INTERNI, the Mondadori Group’s interior and contemporary design magazine, and Scavolini, present a series of talks entitled Cooking up Ideas – Design, Creativity, Inclusion, three events with the faces of design and beyond, identifying how to transform the kitchen from mere functionality to a multicultural, performance-oriented space.

These events will also tell the story of the development of two historic brands: INTERNI, which celebrates 70 years of business this year, and Scavolini, a leading company in this sector, founded in 1961, right in Pesaro. Both have been a part of the economic and cultural development of the country, transforming the kitchen into a highly developed product that can be adapted to different contexts.

“Today, more than ever, we talk about the kitchen in a broader sense: the domestic space used for storing and preparing food has been transformed into a ‘multitasking environment’ that is the focal point of the family unit, the heart and brain of the home”, explained Gilda Bojardi, Director of the INTERNI system. “The kitchen is increasingly active, the setting for culinary ‘performances’, and it is increasingly lived-in, an extension of the living area. It becomes a special place, the beating heart of domestic socialising. The kitchen as a space for processing ideas is also a concept that extends beyond the domestic space: the restaurant kitchen is the home of chefs who put their creativity at the service of their customers every day. It is the school kitchen, where the art of making and inventing is taught. It is the place where cultural and social differences are best understood and encountered, from soup kitchens for the needy to kitchens in prisons and care homes”.

Kicking off the series of talks is Kitchen and Design, scheduled for Thursday, 12 September at 6 pm at the Teatro Rossini in Pesaro (Sala della Repubblica – Piazza Lazzarini, 1). After introductions by Fabiana Scavolini, Scavolini Managing Director, Gilda Bojardi, INTERNI System Director, and Daniele Vimini, Deputy Mayor and Councillor for Culture of the City of Pesaro, the speakers, moderated by journalist Patrizia Catalano, will be Imma Forino, Professor of Interior Architecture and Interior Design at the Polytechnic University of Milan, and Fabio Novembre, architect, designer, and founder of Novembre Studio.

The other two events will take place in the Palazzo Gradari Salone Nobile in Pesaro (Via Rossini 24) at 6 pm. On 11 October, Kitchens and Gen Z will be held with Camilla Bellini, Francesca Del Conte WAYouth ETS, Spalvieri & Del Ciotto, while on 22 November it’ll be Made in Italy and Internationality with Luca Nichetto and Daniele Busca.

The talks are open to the public, subject to availability.

For more information, visit: www.internimagazine.it

Tomorrow, Friday 13 September at 5.30 p.m., Mondadori Store, the largest network of bookstores in Italy, will open a store inVittoria, in the province of Ragusa, providing residents with a standard for the world of culture, reading and entertainment.

“My partners and I strongly believe in this project: to offer the city of Vittoria and its inhabitants a cultural service as important as a bookstore”, said Mondadori Store franchisee, Eva Feligioni. “We want to work together with Mondadori Store, a key strategic partner, to promote not only cultural practices, but also real experiences to be offered to the people of Vittoria in order to also foster a sense of belonging to a community. We would like the Vittoria bookstore, with its events, book presentations, workshops and more, to become a meeting point for all its citizens. In addition, there will also be active cooperation with some local associations and schools in the area to support them in the renovation of school libraries”, finished the franchisee.

The new bookstore, situated in the heart of Vittoria, covers 70 m² and offers a selection of 6,000 titles, from the great classics to best sellers, including fiction, non-fiction and miscellaneous, not forgetting the fantasy and young adult sections. There’s also the We are Junior format, which includes educational games and illustrated books to spark kids’ imagination, and the Just Comic format, dedicated to manga and comics fans. Areas dedicated to #BookTok, for the new generation of readers, as well as stationery, toys, gift boxes and gift cards, also expand the store’s offer.

The Mondadori Bookstore in Vittoria also serves readers online: customers can keep up to date through the Instagram and Facebook pages and get in touch with the store through 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.

The new Mondadori Bookstore follows the plan for renewal and development of Mondadori Store, the largest bookstore network in Italy, with more than 500 stores in cities and smaller towns. The cultural organisation is active throughout the country, online with the e-commerce site Mondadoristore.it and the book club. In addition to books, its primary service, it also provides entertainment, events and multichannel services, reaching more than 20 million customers every year.

MONDADORI BOOKSTORE
Via Giacomo Matteotti 271 C, 97019, Vittoria (RG)
Opening Hours: Mon 16:00–20:00; Tue–Sat 9.00–13:00/16:00–20:00

Phone: 0932.1978322
Email: mondadoribookstore.vittoria@gmail.com

https://www.mondadoristore.it/negozi

IG – FB

On 14 and 15 September, the MypersonalTrainer Days return, an initiative sponsored by the City of Milan, which will be held at the Arco della Pace, a green space that the people of Milan have always used for sport and moments of relaxation and wellness.

The event – organised by MypersonalTrainer, Mondadori Group brand and leader in health and wellness, a standard for 13 million unique users per month and 6 million fans on social networks – offers a rich program of activities designed for everyone who loves a healthy and active lifestyle.
More than 500 free events are scheduled, which sold out in just a few days, from the best workouts and trendy wellness practices to talks with special personalities from the world of sport and wellness and a series of useful medical consultations.

“We are proud that MypersonalTrainer, a brand that started on the Internet in 2005, has built up a well-structured circle over time and has become a standard for so many wellness enthusiasts, not only digitally but also locally. Our strength lies in the affection of the public who follow us and want to discover the latest trends and disciplines in fitness and health, and wellness in general. The many brands that believe in our project are increasingly expressing the need to explore new channels, create contacts and thus expand interactivity with their target audience, in line with the growing demand to attend sporting events”, said Daniela Cerrato, Digital Marketing Director of Mondadori Media. 

This third edition, under the name More than Wellness, hosts great stars: from swimming champion Filippo Magnini to the Italian flag-bearer at the Paris Olympics, Arianna Errigo; from Olympic marcher Eleonora Giorgi to fitness gurus Jill Cooper, Jairo Junior, Nicolò Famiglietti and Silvia Fascians from the Power Talent Agency roster, Federica Constantini, Roberta Vanzella and many others.

The full calendar and new features of MypersonalTrainer Days
Opening the event will be swimming champion Filippo Magnini, one of the greatest swimmers of all time in his specialism, who will give the audience tips on how to live a lifestyle and share how the sporting approach can influence his career and everyday life.

Shortly afterwards, it will be the turn of Arianna Errigo, Olympic flag-bearer and fencing champion, who has just returned from the French capital, and who will open the debate on a new way of understanding sport. A series of trendy activities will follow, including Strong Nation, Groupboxing Sparring, Dynamic Hiit Workout. And more holistic activities such as BodyFly, Bliss Vinyasa, Face & Hair Yoga as well as Durga creative energy.

Many interesting talks on the latest, trendiest topics. These two events are very popular: Email Apnoea and Sleep Wellness with Alessio Carciofi, university professor and marketing & digital wellness expert, in collaboration with Dorelan, and New Longevity: lLfestyle and Precision Medicine with Dr Alberto Beretta, researcher, immunologist and Scientific Director of SoLongevity, to discover how to live long in the best possible way.
On the topic of fitfood and nutrition, there will be interesting talks by experts Valeria Severi and Paola Stavolone as well as time for the audience in attendance with a healthy menu endorsed by MypersonalTrainer, in collaboration with Rio Mare and Dazi Milano.

New features for the third edition will include a large space dedicated to beauty, a constantly growing sector to which the MypersonalBeauty area has been dedicated since this year on the website and social networks(MypersonalBeauty was created as a brand extension of MypersonalTrainer and rounds out its offer in the personal care and beauty sector, understood not only as an external goal to be achieved, but as an integral part of physical and mental wellness). In line with this trend, an itinerary will be created in collaboration with Biopoint, Deborah, Dermolab, Lycia and Tesori d’Oriente that will include make-up, hair and skin care, wellness experiences such as aromatherapy and music therapy. A young creative talent, the champion of unisex image consulting @Ferschetty (Ferdinando Schetty) will also speak to discover the colour palette that enhances us.

Free medical consultations with CDI specialists can’t be missed: dietetics, physiotherapy, orthopaedics, senology, physiatrics, sleep medicine, internal medicine.

Among the scheduled events is the MYPT Urban Walk, organised in collaboration with Lycia. Free and even more exciting and inclusive, the 5 km non-competitive walk will be preceded by a preparation session, led by marathon runner, Eleonora Giorgi. For the first time there will also be experts in fitwalking and nordic walking.

Mypersonaltrainer Days will also host Pompieropoli, the activity designed by the Fire Brigade for children aged 3 and up, which is both exciting and educational.

In this third edition, the technological set-up will also be strengthened with an LED wall (550×300 cm) set up in the main stage area, where cross shots will be projected by two drones that will fly over the area and create spectacular and immersive experiences.

Event partners
Mypersonaltrainer Days this year had an excellent advertising response with a 30% growth over 2023 and the involvement of 26 brand partners. The event is carried out in collaboration with Mediamond and Brand On Solutions, a unit dedicated to special initiatives of the Mediamondlicensee.
Many companies have come on board as brand partners – not only industries in the wellness, fitness, sport and beauty area, but also companies from the food and beverage, automotive and lifestyle sectors – that will meet the public in customised experiential corners to promote a new and broader concept of wellness. Main partners: Dicloreum Ice, Dorelan, DR Automobiles, Givova. 

Partners: Biopoint, Centro Diagnostico Italiano, Danacol, Deborah Milano, Dermolab, Ente Croato, Eurocompany, Farine Magiche with Philips, Garden Gourmet, Gold Collagen, Humanitas University, Initial, Lycia, Rio Mare, Tesori D’Oriente. Technical partners: Aguara, Alpro, Lete and YogaEssential, Centro TAO and Limmi.

Media partners for the initiative: Radio R101 , which will also set up a DJ set for the event on Saturday evening from 6 pm.

For Mypersonaltrainer Days a new advertising campaign was created by the marketing agency Casiraghi Greco& organised across several forms of media: daily newspapers, OOH, DOOH, occupying strategic areas of Milan such as the Parco Sempione area and the M4 line, radio, magazines, social and digital. Set-up and logistics were handled by Area62.

All activities are free, registration is required to participate. For information and reservations: https://www.my-personaltrainer.it/myptdays. All those registered for sports activities will receive a technical T-shirt and for all active participants a bag full of gadgets.

MypersonalTrainer is Mondadori Media’s leading brand in the world of health, wellness, healthy and functional sports nutrition, with 13 million unique monthly users (source: Audiweb Total Digital Audience, last six months) and over 6 million followers on social media (source: Comscore Shareablee and Social Insights July 2024).

After the success of the first leg in Giulianova (with almost 10 thousand viewers), young people’s idols will be in Mirandola (MO) on Saturday, 6 September, in the Piazza della Costituente, for the last leg of Webboh Fest 2024, the summer music event organised by Webboh, the first Italian community dedicated to Gen Z and Gen Alpha, with more than 4 million followers on social networks.

A star-studded stage for the last leg of Webboh Fest

An evening of music and fun, during which many artists, including Rosa Chemical, one of the most talked-about artists on the music scene, will take turns on stage from 8 p.m. From Spain comes Victor Perez, aka VYPERR, the idol with 10 million followers who will showcase his hits to the Italian public. Also from the charts of this summer’s most streamed songs is El Matador, a breakout star from ‘Nuova Scena’, the Netflix rap show, and Serena Brancale with her viral hits.

Rappers Vale Pain and Fasma, whose hit, ‘Mille notti’ was a smash hit on TikTok this summer, will also be on stage, along with Le-One, whose summer hit ‘Addo staje’ has already gone gold and is this summer’s song with millions of streams. From the world of ‘Amici di Maria de Filippi’, Niveo will premiere his new single about bullying. Some of the idols of the very young generation will also be there. They will get the audience singing along to their most famous hits. We’ll meet Il Rosso, Luk3 and Ascanio, Lorenz Simonetti, Rondine, and Cioffi.

 Andrea Prada will host the last leg of Webboh Fest, with the help of Sara Esposito, a creator and YouTuber with millions of followers. Also, on stage (and backstage) will be young people’s favourite creators, like the Housegram crew, i.e. Cristiano Borsi, Fabio Ferrucci, Giulia Bizzarri and Viola Silvi; as well as Gabriele Greco and Anastasiia Pazzeska. At the end of the evening, fans can continue the fun with a DJ set by Matteo Robert, one of the most famous Gen Z TikTokers in Italy.

Challenges and surprises… with a look behind the scenes

And it’s not only music: during the evening of Webboh Fest, Webboh will also entertain the audience with challenges and lots of fun (free admission). Backstage access will be narrated by creator Lisa Luchetta, star of Webboh Backstage Secrets Summer Tour, the format born from the collaboration between Webboh and DeAKids (Sky Channel 601). Lisa will interview the stars of the event and report on the tour with exclusive content: clips will be available on the TV channel’s social media. From the afternoon onwards you’ll also get to receive numbered gadgets, which will allow you to take part in a special draw that will give you access to Webboh Fest backstage and follow the entire event from a special location: the backstage area. Radio Bruno, a partner for the festival, will follow Webboh on its tour, and in the grand finale will reveal on the Mirandola stage the songs most loved by young people in the summer of 2024 with the official ranking.

This leg’s sponsor is La Casa de las Carcasas, who along with Webboh have created a collection of smartphone covers that will be on sale from September and will be launched from the Webboh Fest stage on 6 September in Mirandola. There will be a stand in the square with a giant cover where you can take a selfie and receive a free gadget.

Webboh is the flagship media for Gen Z. Created in April 2019, it has been part of Mondadori Media since February 2023. It currently has a fanbase of 4.5 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and WhatsApp, 70% of which are under 24. The website receives 3 million unique monthly users (source: Audiweb Last Quarter 2024). It is in the top ten most influential Italian media companies on social media, as well as the first targeting Gen Z for engagement and video views (source: Italian Top Media Rankings for First Communication made by Sensemakers). The topicality, authenticity and interest generated by the content is guaranteed by the bottom-up editorial model: the community is involved in every part of the creative process.

Webboh Lab, the first permanent observatory on Gen Z stemming from an encounter between Webboh and the Sylla research institute, has partnered with Farmitalia to conduct a survey via an online smart poll involving 500 young Italians aged between 14 and 17. The results provide a picture of the perceptions, knowledge and doubts of younger generations regarding sexuality and contraception in Italy.

The results show how the very young face a lot of exposure to these issues, which is also attributed to the numerous information channels available, and how they would like to experience sex education in general, that is, with fewer taboos and more clarity.

How Gen Z stays informed

The details of the data collected by Webboh Lab show that the sources most consulted by respondents are friends (53.4%) and social media (46%), followed by school (43.2%) and the Internet (40.4%). The family is in fifth place with 27.6%, while doctors and advice centres are mentioned by only 5.6% of young people.

Sex education at school

 Sex education at school is considered a key issue by the very young. They would like it to be addressed more, with particular emphasis on certain aspects:

• sexually transmitted diseases (importance score: 8.47/10);
• relationships, affection and partner consent (score: 8.40/10);
• contraceptive methods (score: 7.81/10);
• anatomy of the human body (score: 7.78/10).

Gen Z’s suggetions for better information

The Webboh Lab smart pool also showed that the way in which this issue is dealt with could be improved through various initiatives. Besides more school involvement (score 8.36/10), the main activities identified by respondents were:

• counselling services (score 7.87/10);
• discussions with adults (score 7.59/10);
• access to reliable online resources (score 7.49/10).

Contraceptive methods

The survey also highlighted condoms as the most popular method of contraception among Gen Z (98.2%), followed by the pill (88.4%). Much more limited knowledge is found, however, for IUDs (49.3%) and coitus interruptus (17%).

Emergency contraception: the concept of emergency contraception is familiar to 44.2% of young people. More specifically,86% know about the morning-after pill, while only 41.8% know about the five-day-after pill. The main sources of information for emergency contraception include:

• Internet (25.1%);
• social media (24.4%);
• school (15.6%):
• friends (12.4%):
• family (6.9%).

Furthermore, 23.9% of young respondents admitted to knowing someone who had used the morning-after pill, while only 8.3% knew someone who had used the five-day-after pill.

The research shows a clear need for a more integrated approach to sex education involving not only schools, but also counselling services and families.

Webboh Lab, which came about after a meeting between Webboh (4 million followers on social media) and the Sylla research institute, directed by Furio Camillo, is the first permanent observatory on Gen Z. Webboh Labs is committed to hearing the voice of the younger generation, investigating and exploring their issues and bringing them to the table of people making decisions for them, the adults of tomorrow.

Webboh is the flagship media for Gen Z. Created in April 2019, it has been part of Mondadori Media since February 2023. It currently has a fanbase of 4.5 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and WhatsApp, 70% of which are under 24. The website receives 3 million unique monthly users (source: Audiweb last quarter 2024). It is in the top ten most influential Italian media companies on social media, as well as the first targeting Gen Z for engagement and video views (source: Italian Top Media Rankings for First Communication made by Sensemakers). The topicality, authenticity and interest generated by the content is guaranteed by a bottom-up editorial model: the community is involved in every part of the creative process.

Tony Blair’s On Leadership, François Furet’s The Passing of an Illusion: The Idea of Communism in the Twentieth Century and Voltaire’s Letters on the English are the first three releases of the new publishing house.

Tony Blair’s On Leadership is part of the Libera series dedicated to works that discuss current affairs. Furet’s The Passing of an Illusion and Voltaire’s Letters on the English, translated into Italian for the first time by Antonio Gurrado, were conceived in the Biblioteca series, focusing on great classics that have stood the test of time.

How can we set priorities 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 public safety? These are just some of the most significant questions that constitute the cornerstone of Tony Blair’s essay on the art of governing. The former British prime minister draws on more than a decade of experience in government, refusing to avoid the major issues that are still unresolved on the world stage and must be tackled head-on in order to assist the leaders of our time. The author’s track record, his commitment to supporting developing countries, working for peace in the Middle East and combating extremism have provided him with the tools to make a lucid and disenchanted judgement on today’s political situation. Never before has the quality of a nation’s government been as crucial to its success as it is today. There are countries that have the same population, similar resources and the same growth potential, yet some perform well, while others implode: the nature of leadership therefore becomes a decisive factor between growing and struggling states.

In On Leadership, technology is a voice in its own right, which is not considered one of the phenomena that leaders must manage, but rather the “epochal transformation” that affects all governments, which requires a decision on which side to take and whether to harbour outdated prejudices or to be open to change, first and foremost of ourselves. In chapter 19, we read: [generative AI represents] a radical alteration of the fundamental principles on which [the system] is based.” According to Blair, the technological revolution “makes it possible to implement measures that have real consequences in a reasonably short period of time – within an election cycle”, as “artificial intelligence is the only realistic way to improve productivity in the private sector [and] in the public service.” At the same time, Blair wants to emphasise that “it is up to each leader to decide how they want to use this all-encompassing revolution.”

On the historical front, the Biblioteca series features the figure of François Furet, known for his seminal works on the French Revolution and Communism, and for having directed the École des hautes études en sciences sociales in Paris during his long career. The historian, in his work The Passing of an Illusion, edited by Marina Valensise, discusses the communist idea by analysing the difficult relationship between the expectations raised in terms of socio-economic conditions and what was achieved until the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. The author clarifies this paradox by pointing out as a hallmark of Leninism “the idea that old Russia, fresh out of Czarism, invents a social and political regime that can and should serve as an example to Europe and the whole world, placing itself moreover in continuity with the history of the West.” This claim nurtured by the Bolsheviks from 1918 onwards is still echoed in Furet’s words: “illusion does not <accompany> communist history: it is constitutive of it.” The denial of the facts makes “the story of the illusion of communism” even more compelling. This is the theme of the book and not the history of communism, as the author seeks to emphasize in the preface.

Also included in the Biblioteca series, Voltaire’s Letters on the English (Italian edition edited by Antonio Gurrado) is a highly topical work despite the different scenario that accompanied its inception.  Voltaire’s focus is the theme of overcoming the logic of feudal government to arrive at a more liberated society, free of superstition and passionate about scientific knowledge. The pivotal theme underlying the publisher’s approach, namely freedom, therefore returns, contextualising Letters on the English in the most suitable cultural context for its enhancement.
In its attack on religious and political intolerance and, at the same time, in its defence of empirical thinking and the experimental method, Letters on the English, originally written in England between 1727 and 1728 and published in London in August 1733, constitutes one of the very first expressions of Enlightenment thought, a manifesto of the values that shaped the emergence of 18th-century culture. It is no coincidence that Oliver Goldsmith, the Irish writer and playwright, described Voltaire as “the poet and philosopher of Europe”.
The work, translated for the first time directly from the original written almost entirely in English, is presented to the public in the knowledge that Voltaire decided to spend two years in England in order to become an English author, with a plan that therefore went beyond the motivations of mere travel.
At the same time, Voltaire was also a pioneer in terms of knowledge dissemination, since he was one of the first to successfully convey the ideas of English philosophers to the general public.
For these reasons, Letters on the English undoubtedly ranked among the best-selling 18th-century books in the British Isles: fourteen more editions were published over the course of the century.
Voltaire therefore managed to establish himself not ‘in spite of’ having written in a foreign language, but ‘because’ he had written in a foreign language such as English “the language of a free nation […] the only one that could express with vigour what I could only sketch faintly in my native tongue.”

Only a few days remain until the long-awaited opening of the Mondadori Bookstore | MA in Naples. The bookstore, located in the city’s central Galleria Umberto I, will open on Monday, 5 August with Mayor Gaetano Manfredi in attendance for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10.30 am.

“We have always wanted the Mondadori Bookstore | MA flagship store to be in Naples, an ideal city as Neapolitans are passionate readers”, said Antonio Serpe, Chief Retail Officer of Mondadori Bookstore | MA Italy.

“The project, in a symbolic place like Galleria Umberto I, also represents the highest expression of our philosophy: to place culture and art, in all its forms of expression, at the heart of things and to draw people, especially young people, as near to it as possible. That’s why we’ve worked diligently and passionately at the technical committee set up by the Mayor in collaboration with all the institutional figures involved, in order to solve the problems related to the location and make all the energy that characterises this extraordinary and colourful city, a landmark dedicated to culture and entertainment, available to the public”, Serpe concluded.

“Like Mondadori Retail, we’re proud of completing this project, and the vision and goals which we shared from the very beginning: to create a cultural and experiential centre at the service of the community, which will become a place where we can promote reading, entertainment, eco-sustainability and culture in its broadest sense”, said Carmine Perna, Mondadori Retail’s Director. “We believe that the strength of the MA format proves how important it is to invest in cultural initiatives that can adapt to present and future challenges by developing new business models”, concluded Perna.

The Mondadori Bookstore | MA in Naples has an area of 1,000 m², with an offer of 148,000 volumes from the great classics to best sellers – including fiction, non-fiction and miscellaneous -, from the We are Junior area, which includes children’s books, educational games and illustrated fairy tales to stimulate children’s imagination, to the innovative department dedicated to manga and comics, Just Comics, which winks at Gen Z.

Overlooking the historic Teatro Salone Margherita in the San Ferdinando district in the heart of Naples, the bookstore features furnishings that harmonise with the Art Nouveau atmosphere of the spot, respecting the architectural features of the time and combining them with the company philosophy of MA (間): smart, young, and eco-friendly. An ideal space where one can take a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, devote oneself to reading and harmonise with nature, thus representing a completely innovative way of understanding, promoting and creating culture. The bookstore is also very focused on and sensitive to contemporary social and environmental issues by organising various initiatives.

“Naples is the ideal city to host one of Italy’s largest smart, young, eco-friendly bookstores because it has always been a cultural centre”, said Nello Nunziata, Head of the Point of Sales’ Development Division. “It’s no coincidence that, along with the vast Mondadori Store offer, the bookstore has a space dedicated to music and cinema, book buvette areas, free coworking hubs and reading spaces reserved for reading and study, as well as a space for wine tastings and an exclusive area reserved for events, ready to host some of the most important personalities on the local, national and international art scene”, Nunziata finished.

Two large touch screen totems allow for social interaction, while self-checkout click & collect services allow customers to make their purchases online on the bookstore website and collect them in-store. There’s also Trovalibro, which gives customers the chance of finding the text they want from among those available in store, simplifying the reader’s experience in the bookstore and make it more pleasant.

The store also has a large photo gallery area, dedicated to the art and contemporary photography of young emerging talents, giving them the opportunity to exhibit their work in the heart of the gallery from time to time. This is the case for Michele De Cesare, Gerardo Massaro, Fabio Monk and Davide Orfeo, who will open the exhibition, Metamorfosi napoletana.

The Mondadori Bookstore | MA is a completely innovative fusion concept, inspired by Japanese culture and translated from simple ideas into concrete projects by the Ricciardi Architetti studio, in collaboration with architect, Selene Amico. Tall furniture that echoes the natural line of tree trunks, creating a gallery that envelops visitors and invites them to soak up a culture and make it their own, stimulating and satisfying their curiosity. Combined with bonsai trees and sansevierias – chosen on purpose because they purify the air of benzene -, everything inside the bookstore recalls nature and eco-sustainability: from the lamps to the design fittings, from the architectural choices to the quality of the materials – marine poplar wood and recycled iron -, skilfully worked by master carpenters and Coppola’s historical partners. The walls are also painted using eco water paints, which reduce the amount of free formaldehyde in the atmosphere by 80%, and with the floating floors, the store is guaranteed to have a lower environmental impact in the installation of all systems.

MONDADORI BOOKSTORE | MA expresses a young, smart, innovative, eco-friendly bookstore concept for Gen Z and beyond. The philosophy is expressed through architectural choices and the materials used to create them, and in publishing ideas and initiatives. The eco-sustainable cultural concept grew out of the entrepreneurial background of the Neapolitan-minded creators and Mondadori Retail, the managing company of the largest network of bookstores in Italy, Mondadori Store. Mondadori Bookstores can be found throughout Italy with 14 stores in Udine, Gravellona, Milan, Turin, Arma Di Taggia, Reggio Emilia, Grosseto, Rome, Salerno, Sassari, Sestu, Catania and Naples. Other openings are planned for 2024 across important Italian cities.

MONDADORI BOOKSTORE I MA
Address: Galleria Umberto I, 45/46 Naples (NA)
Opening hours: Mon–Sun 10:00–21:00
Phone: +39,081 4241243
Email: napoli@mabooks.it
IG: @choose.ma – TikTok: @mondadori_ma
https://www.mondadoristore.it/negozi

Reading is a journey that leads us to discover new worlds, different cultures and, most importantly, ourselves. What better time to indulge in this practice than during the summer?

Why is summer reading so special?

With its long days and more relaxed pace, summer offers the ideal time and attitude for reading. Without the hustle and bustle of everyday life, we can finally indulge in the pleasure of leafing through a book, letting ourselves be captivated by the stories and losing ourselves in the words. Reading during the summer helps us expand our horizons, stimulating our imagination, keeping our minds exercised and reducing stress.

Here are our recommendations for holiday reading

Whatever your destination, we thought we’d offer you a collection of books selected from the most read and appreciated titles of our publishing houses (Battello a vapore, De Agostini, Einaudi, Electa, Mondadori, Mondadori Electa, Mondadori Children’s Books, Piemme, Rizzoli and Sperling & Kupfer, Star Comics and Utet), designed to satisfy readers of all ages.

The Mondadori Group reports that Mondadori Libri S.p.A. has signed mutual put and call options over a 10% stake in the share capital of Adelphi with Josephine Calasso – holder of a total shareholding of 23.88%.
The put/call options will be exercisable as of May 2027 at an exercise price reflecting an equity value for 100% of Adelphi of € 50 million.

“I chose the Mondadori Group because I care about the future of Adelphi, because it has proved to be a straightforward and transparent interlocutor, and because I truly believe that its proximity can make a valuable contribution to the evolution and growth of our publishing house, thanks to its skills, proven management expertise, size and, above all, the open manner of interaction and appreciation it has always shown towards publishing houses”, commented Josephine Calasso.
“I trust that this decision will be appreciated by the other shareholders, also with a view to restoring balance to the ownership structure, and am certain it will help make my dream for an Adelphi led by Roberto Calasso’s heirs, come true, as it looks forward to a bright future, worthy of its history, which can be seen in the extraordinary catalogue, my father’s legacy”, concluded Josephine Calasso.

“The agreement defined stems from a recognition and appreciation by the Mondadori Group of the extraordinary unique value of Adelphi, one of Italy’s true cultural assets. It is, for us, therefore a great honour to have been offered the chance to be part of its ownership structure in the future: we do so with the aim, together with all the other shareholders, of supporting its natural evolution and with a view to creating further value”, declared Antonio Porro, Chief Executive Officer of the Mondadori Group. “All this while leveraging the fully shared vision, which sees the identity of the catalogue and the autonomy and independence of the publishing choices as the essential cornerstones in the development of a major, historic publishing house, in complete coherence with our philosophy whereby each publishing context is encouraged to preserve its identity and its own, specific characteristics”, Antonio Porro stressed. “Ultimately, we seek to make a contribution and share an inclusive path in due time with all those wishing to collaborate on the project for further enhancing the value of one of Italy’s most prestigious publishing houses”.