“All Different, All Readers!” is the theme of the 18th Reading Week of Leiria, an event that directly and indirectly involves over 17,000 students from the region, with initiatives organized by 34 school, municipal, and private libraries.
“Reading Week will take place everywhere: starting at the ‘heart’ of the school, the classroom, extending through the corridors, public spaces, in the relationship between the school and families, with institutions, and in a strong connection with the community,” explained Anabela Graça, the councilor for Education and Culture of the municipality of Leiria, during the presentation today.
The book and reading-related initiatives extend beyond the 250 scheduled events, as many have already commenced weeks ago due to the volume of proposals and authors’ schedules, and are expected to continue past the end of Reading Week, emphasized the councilor.
“The dynamics range from the youngest to the university level,” also fostering “a very close relationship with adults, who typically read less,” Anabela Graça added.
This edition highlights the celebrations of the 500th anniversary of Luís Vaz de Camões’ birth, the 200th anniversary of Camilo Castelo Branco’s birth, and the commemoration of the 700th anniversary of King Dinis’s death.
The centenary of Mário Soares is also being remembered, with proposals highlighting “the values of democracy and freedom and the role he played in Portugal,” exploring connections with the parish of Cortes, where the former president had family roots.
Beyond books, and featuring multiple forms of reading—silently, in groups, aloud, by phone, as a surprise, by ‘assault,’ in the forest, and other creative approaches—this initiative also promotes the expression of letters through dance, music, theater, and visual arts.
