Our Debut in Novara: A First of May Amidst Books, History, and Community

The First of May was a milestone for our bookstore. We chose this symbolic day to launch our first official event in Novara, where the LiLi Community has its “home," and we could not have imagined a better setting than the Circolo ARCI La Fratellanza.

A Place That Tells the History of Novara

The Circolo La Fratellanza is more than just a physical space; it is a piece of our city’s history. Founded over a century ago as a meeting and mutual aid point for neighborhood workers, it has lived through the transformations of the twentieth century while keeping its mission intact: to build community and solidarity.

Today, thanks to the Italian Recreational and Cultural Association (ARCI) network, this historical legacy has evolved. ARCI is one of the largest associative realities in the country, working to promote culture, rights, and widespread social engagement. Within this network, La Fratellanza has become a true cultural hub. It is a place where art, music, and cinema intertwine with civil debate, bringing to light contemporary issues that often do not find space or accurate coverage in mainstream media.

How Our Bond Was Born

We believe that nothing happens by chance. Our first meeting with the volunteers of La Fratellanza took place during a film forum organized to raise awareness among citizens about the situation in the Middle East. A deep bond was born from that evening. Since then, we have inhabited those spaces as both attendees and volunteers, sharing concerts, conferences, and worldviews.

A Literary Journey into the Heart of the Middle East

Bringing our books and our project within these walls on International Workers’ Day was an extremely fulfilling achievement. For the occasion, we decided to restart right from where everything had begun. We set up our stall with a special selection of books dedicated to the Middle East, creating an ideal and profound link with the film forum that had brought us together.

Through the curated book list we exhibited, we offered visitors a true literary journey into those lands. We firmly believe that books are the most powerful means to explore distant cultures and understand their deepest nuances, creating that bridge of empathy and knowledge which is at the very core of our project.

Looking to the Future

Seeing familiar faces and catching the gaze of so many new people, all curious to dive into these “paper worlds,” confirmed to us that the path of sharing is the right one.

The collaboration with our friends at Circolo La Fratellanza does not end here. This was only the first chapter of a story that we will continue to write together, between new pages of books and shared social commitment.