"Banned Books Week" is an annual awareness campaign on the freedom of reading, promoted since 1982 by the American Library Association and Amnesty International and which is held approximately during the last week of September.

The aim is to promote freedom of expression by drawing attention to banned and contested books, giving voice to those who are persecuted for the books they write, disseminate or read, and highlighting the value of free and open access to information . “Banned Books Week” brings together the entire book community – librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers and readers of all types – in support of this goal. 

From 23 to 29 September 2018, Milan UNESCO Creative City of Literature participated in the initiative by raising citizens' awareness of the topic with a social campaign, with which it told, through the collaboration of the other UNESCO Cities of Literature, stories of books and authors considered "dangerous".