“Come and read a book in the heart of the city”.

Rome launches its first Reading Party, an event in which people meet to read together in silence, at the Casa delle Letterature on Friday 27 September from 18.00 to 20.00.

The city invites readers to switch off their phones and disconnect from social media and to gather among book lovers at the literary venue located Piazza Navona and Campo de’ Fiori.

"The goal is to share a moment of silence and quiet, to immerse yourself in a story or simply to observe", the city says, inviting people to join other readers by sitting in the library patio.

Roma Capitale lancia il suo primo Reading Party: venerdì 27/09 ci vedremo alla Casa delle Letterature per una festa tutta dedicata ai libri! Vieni anche tu!

Ingresso libero fino a esaurimento posti.

Scopri di più https://t.co/WP4S0IxG5c #RomaReadingParty pic.twitter.com/9eVR9GH5ud

— Roma (@Roma) September 26, 2024

The Roma Reading Party is free and open to everyone, until all seats are taken, and there is no need to register in advance.

People can bring their own books but if they wish to borrow a book from the Casa delle Letterature they will need to register with the Biblioteche di Roma, either in person or online.

The initiative is part of National Library Week (23-29 September), an event promoted by the Italian Library Association to underline the importance of Italy's library system for the country's cultural, economic and social growth.