The five finalists of the Sila Prize have been revealedamong which the jury will choose the winner of the 2024 edition, which it will be held on 21 and 22 June in Cosenza and on 23 June at the headquarters of the Camigliatello Silano Foundation. The director of the Award, Gemma Cestari, and the president of the Foundation, the lawyer Enzo Paolini revealed the list: «A happy country» (Mondadori) by Carmine Abate, «Grande marvel» (Einaudi) by Viola Ardone, «Jazz Cafè” (The Ship of Theseus) by Raffaele Simone, “Una Minimum Unhappiness” (Neri Pozza) by Carmen Verde and “The Emperor of the Clouds” (Neri Pozza) by Pierpaolo Vettori.
The Sila Lifetime Achievement Award was awarded to the Milanese poet, writer and translator Vivian Lamarque, former Strega Poetry Award 2023 with «L'amore da nuova», who will hold her lectio magistralis on the morning of Saturday 22 June. «Vivian Lamarque – said President Paolini – certainly needs no introduction and she embodies the values, the mission and the image that we want to give of the Sila Prize, of Calabria and of our country».
The author of the poster for this twelfth edition, with the work entitled «Of the book… the gold», will be the artist Gianni Dessì.
«I want to testify to you the satisfaction of noting that the formula identified and tested in recent years has made the Sila '49 Award penetrating in the city context – stated the satisfied lawyer Enzo Paolini – because the Readers' Committee, which I thank, was decisive for the selection of the Five, with a very notable rate of participation and quality. This enabled the jury to choose the winner from a quality shortlist. Participation has gradually grown and for this we must thank the booksellers of Cosenza who are an indispensable category for the nourishment we need.” The president of the Sila Prize Foundation also thanked the Municipality of Cosenza and the councilor Antonietta Cozza, present at the Mondadori, who «institutionally always accompanies us with great availability in all our events, in all aspects of our organization».