If the sea is a metaphor for seeking knowledge, never was there a topic better suited to testing the courage and skills of the writers chosen for Scritture Giovani. Braving the lack of wind and intensity of the waves, Dora Albanese, Catrin Dafydd, Ștefania Mihalache and Clemens Setz will endeavour to show their talent as sailors on a sea of words in this collection of short stories.

Sea is the theme of the 2010 Festivaletteratura Scritture Giovani project dedicated to new voices in the world of European fiction. The literary voyage of the four young authors will call at the ports of the main European festivals - besides Festivaletteratura, The Guardian Hay Festival and internationales literaturfestival berlin - to undoubtedly continue to far more prestigious destinations.

Since 2002, Scritture Giovani has discovered and promoted some of the most interesting young writers of the new generation. In its search for new talent, Festivaletteratura and its partner festivals are supported by illycaffè, side by side with Scritture Giovani right from the start, and – between 2010-2012 – the Fondazione Cariplo. This union of strength is enabling us to potentiate the project. Besides welcoming authors from countries beyond those of the festivals (this year, Rumanian writer Ștefania Mihalache), Scritture Giovani 2010 is also reaching out to younger and, as yet, unpublished writers, with a Spring workshop to be held in Mantua every year.