The convention
As for the media, we can advertise Eurocon on our website as well as on the main themed Italian website: www.fantascienza.com which is more than willing to give us maximum support. We will also be able to use the usual advertising channels that we have been using for years: national and local newspapers, suitable web magazines, local, national terrestrial and satellite televisions.We will have support from the professional magazine Delos Science Fiction, winner of a past edition of the European Award. And we will rely on the organizing consultancy of publisher Gianfranco Viviani, Ernesto Vegetti (president of World SF Italia), Roberto Quaglia (vice president of the European Science Fiction Society) and Silvio Sosio (publisher and person in charge of fantascienza.com).
We would like to add that considering the high number of DS1 members professionally involved in literary, television and cinema translations, we will be able to supply good consecutive translation services into English.
As for the guests, British writer Ian Watson and Russian writer Sergey Lukyanenko have already agreed to take part in Eurocon in 2009. We are in touch with other writers and we will also invite back some of those who have taken part in our past conventions.
We would now like to give you a glimpse of the less serious side of the convention, while trying to explain what we consider to be an exclusive feature that we hope to extend to Eurocon: the atmosphere. Italians science fiction enthusiasts take part in the convention mostly to meet others with their same passion: year after year friendships have been formed and relations have been established that go beyond a common passion. This is because of the general atmosphere of “family meeting” that the event has, very relaxed and friendly, so much so that we have made the television series Cheers motto our motto: “Where everybody knows your name… and they’re always glad you came”.
The comfortable sofas in the lounge bar are often occupied by fans chatting with their favourite writer or actor until late at night. Writers and readers often go on talking until four in the morning in a discussion that started during a conference. This relaxed and laid back atmosphere is also what makes guests of honour feel that they can move about freely, and therefore it is not at all unusual to share morning breakfast with them or to catch them slicing some salami at the semi-official Eatcon on Thursday night.. Oh, right… Eatcon… this is an appointment held on Thursday night after dinner, around 10:30 pm, when convention participants coming from various Italian regions bring food and wine specialties - cold cuts, cheese, cakes, jam, wine, champagne, alcoholic drinks, etc. - and a sort of contest is held to decide which specialty is the most exquisite. Everyone is invited to join in, until delicacies start running out… and last year they lasted two days!
There would be so many other things to say, but we’d rather answer any questions you might have: please send them to eurocon@euroconsf2009.it. In closing, we’d like to say that we are really delighted and extremely honoured to have been given this chance to organize Eurocon in 2009 and that, in addition to providing top logistic and organizational support to all participants, we will surely make the convention an unforgettable event, in the true spirit of Italian hospitality