The event conceived by Malindikenya.net and promoted in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute in Nairobi, “Incontritaliani,” got off to a flying start. It is being held in the square of the Muthaiga Shopping Center in Nairobi and is hosted by the Enoteca and La Dolce Vita restaurant.
I must be honest, I did not expect such a large, lively, and attentive turnout from my fellow countrymen. Not only because it is increasingly difficult to get people to gather in the same place during the week (and anyone familiar with Nairobi's traffic knows that it is a bit like Milan and Rome, only more chaotic), but especially for a book presentation!
But instead... at least for this first time, I was very wrong.
I was also concerned about the subject of the book, Esmeralda Lovatelli's passionate, hard-hitting but African-scented book ‘Io sono tutte loro’ (I am all of them). Would we bore those present, or make the glasses of excellent Italian wine at the wine bar too serious?
None of that happened, thanks to the expertise and intelligence of Valeria Buoninfante, deputy director of Italian cooperation in Nairobi, and Esmeralda herself. Thanks to their rhythm and their speeches, all I had to do was introduce them (after the blessing of Ambassador Roberto Natali, who always gives me too many compliments) and read a few passages.
The first was a great success. See you on Thursday, October 30, with “Lumumba, African Hero,” the graphic novel by Luca Catalano and Michele De Santis.