Presidio Letterario

We are now a Presidio Letterario

In 2025, we were officially designated a “Presidio Letterario” (Literary Hub) of the Dante Alighieri Society. This recognition places us within the Society’s international network that brings together the committees most active in promoting Italian literature around the world.

Thanks to this important role, we have the incredible opportunity to take part in the voting process for the Premio Strega, one of Italy’s most prestigious literary awards. The prize is awarded annually to an author who has published a work of fiction in Italy between March 1 of the previous year and February 28 of the current year.

“La Dante al Premio Strega”

Since 2009, the Dante Alighieri Society has been part of the Premio Strega jury with a collective vote, as part of the “La Dante al Premio Strega” project, launched in 2008 in collaboration with the Bellonci Foundation.

This initiative is one of the Society’s key activities in promoting contemporary Italian literature. It offers readers a selection of significant literary works and provides an international perspective on the Italian literary landscape.

Since 2020, the collective vote has been entrusted to the bookclubs of the Dante’s Presidi Letterari, both in Italy and abroad. The most voted author receives a special award in Rome in June and is later hosted by the participating  Presidi for public readings and discussions with readers.

Our participation

Since 2025, we have been taking part in the project. This year, we formed a Circolo di Lettura (Reading Circle) of 12 participants who met weekly — both in person and online — to read, discuss and reflect on the 12 long-listed books, presented below in alphabetical order. In June, at the end of our reading journey, we cast our votes, contributing with great enthusiasm to the collective vote of the Società Dante Alighieri. 

Congratulations to Michele Mari, who was awarded the Premio Strega 2026 for his novel I convitati di pietra. Mari also received the most votes from the Presidi Letterari of the Società Dante Alighieri around the world.