Ipse Scripsit!
Three days of discussion on bullying, gender-based violence, and book culture as part of Turin's Salone Off
About Ipse Scripsit!
Ipse Scripsit!: Culture as Care and Prevention
In the heart of the Canavese region, in Castellamonte (Metropolitan City of Turin, Piedmont), Ipse Scripsit! is much more than a simple literary festival. Promoted by the Aladei Association and hosted at the Martinetti Congress Centre, the event transforms books and the written word into tools for civic awareness, focusing on some of the most delicate issues in contemporary society.
The initiative is part of the Salone Off, the widespread program that accompanies the famous Turin International Book Fair, taking culture out of the Lingotto exhibition halls and into the towns of the Piedmont region. In Castellamonte, this means three days packed with meetings open to everyone, designed to engage young people, families, and schools.
The Themes at the Heart of the Festival
The guiding thread of Ipse Scripsit! is clear: using culture as a form of care and prevention. The days revolve around three major social issues:
- Bullying and cyberbullying, with a particular focus on the younger generations and the role of schools;
- Gender-based violence, explored through the power of poetry and direct personal testimonies;
- Contemporary publishing, with a space dedicated to local authors, publishers, and the world of writing.
The organizers' stated goal is to create a public space for reflection and debate, bringing experts, institutions, law enforcement, psychologists, lawyers, and citizens together around the same table.
A Local Network
Behind Ipse Scripsit! lies a collaborative effort between associations and institutions in the Canavese area: in addition to the Aladei Association, participants include the Lions Club Rivarolo Canavese Occidentale and Lions Club Alto Canavese, the Baima Ronchetti publishing house, and organizations such as La Casa delle Donne and the Violetta Association, with the support of the Municipality of Castellamonte. This network makes the festival a deeply rooted local appointment, where reading becomes an opportunity for encounter and growth for the entire community.
Ipse Scripsit! — edition 2026
The 2026 edition of Ipse Scripsit!, part of the Salone Off of the Turin International Book Fair, offered a program spread over three afternoons at the Martinetti Congress Centre in Castellamonte. Each day addressed a specific social theme, alternating expert interventions, book presentations, and moments of public debate. The closing session on Sunday, May 10, gave space to authors and publishers from the Canavese area with presentations and book signings.
Programme Ipse Scripsit! 2026
Friday, May 8 — Bullying and cyberbullying
Opening at 2:30 PM with a day dedicated to the phenomenon of bullying and cyberbullying, featuring the presentation of three volumes on prevention and inclusive environments. Among the announced guests:
- Elena Ferrara, Senator and first signatory of Law 71/2017 on cyberbullying;
- Barbara Rabù, psychologist;
- Lieutenant Antonio Chiffi, Carabinieri commander;
- Valentina Sellaroli, Deputy Prosecutor;
- Ersilia Menesini, Full Professor of Psychology at the University of Florence.
Saturday, May 9 — Say NO to violence against women
From 2:30 PM to 5:00 PM, a day dedicated to combating gender-based violence with La Casa delle Donne, the Violetta Association, psychologists, and lawyers. A central moment was the intervention of the poet, writer, and activist Yuleisy Cruz Lezcano, who narrated gender-based violence through poetry. In closing, the illumination of Palazzo Botton in red and the Mayor's concluding remarks.
Sunday, May 10 — Book Corner
- 2:30 PM–4:00 PM — meeting with publishers (Pedrini, Baima Ronchetti, Atene Canavese) and ghostwriters;
- 4:00 PM–7:30 PM — fifteen local authors present their books with book-signing sessions.
Highlights Ipse Scripsit! 2026
Prices Ipse Scripsit! 2026
Practical information — Ipse Scripsit!
Where
Martinetti Congress Centre, Castellamonte (TO), in the heart of the Canavese region.
When
Traditionally held in the spring, coinciding with the Turin International Book Fair and its associated Salone Off. Meetings take place in the afternoon.
Admission
The festival's meetings are generally free to attend. It is recommended to check times and any booking requirements with the Aladei Association or the Municipality of Castellamonte.
How to get there
Castellamonte can be reached by car via the A5 Turin-Aosta motorway (exits for the Canavese area) and from the provincial roads of the Ivrea district. The Martinetti Congress Centre is centrally located within the town.
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Where does it take place — Ipse Scripsit!
Centro Congressi Martinetti