The 24th edition of the International Book Fair closed on Monday 16 May 2010 with over 305,000 visitors. 1,300 meetings were held from 12 to 16 May. 1,500 publishers packed the four pavilions of Lingotto Fiere and the Oval, the facility created to host the speed skating competitions at the Olympic Winter Games of Torino 2006.

The Fair was inaugurated on Thursday 12 May 2011 by the Under-Secretary for Cultural Heritage and Activities Francesco Maria Giro. The Minister for Cultural Heritage and Activities Giancarlo Galan also attended.

The next date is for May 2012 with the International Book Fair number 25. Candidate guest country: Spain.

The key attraction of the 2011 Fair was undoubtedly the 1861-2011. The Italy of Books exhibition, the initiative of the International Book Fair for the celebrations of the 150th anniversary of the Reunificiation of Italy.

The exhibition was organised by Gian Arturo Ferrari, president of the Centre for Books and Literature and by an Advisory Committee and an Executive Committee that identified themes, works, authors and exhibition guidelines. The organisers were highly satisfied, with a very high number of visitors, especially on Saturday and Sunday. The interest of the very young was surprising: a lot of schools came and the children were amazed by the variety in the literary heritage our country had produced.

A show of words and images, but also of objects, music and delights that seemed buried, where everyone rediscovered part of themselves: from the bicycle of Don Camillo to the school desk of the era of Cuore or the TV sound track of Pinocchio by Luigi Comencini.

Naturally, the protagonists were the 150 books, and in particular the 15 Super Books that tried to recount the best of Italy.

The social commitment of Voltapagina again takes great writers to the detainees in the Prison of Saluzzo during the days of the Fair.

There will be the second edition of the International Book Fair Prize. After Amos Oz, other great writers take their chance with the electronic vote of visitors and exhibitors to come back in the autumn to meet students around Piemonte: the candidates this year are Javier Cercas, Assia Djebar and Anita Desai.

A small but important revolution changes how visitors can reach us: Lingotto can now be reached easily on the new Metro line. And after celebrating the 150 years of Italy, the Fair will celebrate its 25th anniversary next year. Its first quarter of a century. Get ready.