Book Festival in the gardens of Belém Palace rescheduled for the end of the month

According to a note published today on the official website of the Presidency of the Republic, "the Book Festival in Belém will take place between the 25th and 28th of September, in the gardens of the Belém Palace" and "the new program will be announced soon".

Due to the accident with the Glória elevator, in Lisbon, which occurred last Wednesday, which caused 16 deaths and several serious injuries, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa announced that night the cancellation of the Book Festival at the Belém Palace that was to take place between Thursday and Sunday.

According to a note published at the time, the Book Festival would be "scheduled for a date to be set and held indoors", in agreement with the Portuguese Association of Publishers and Booksellers (APEL).

In the note released today, "the President of the Republic reiterates his gratitude to all publishers and booksellers associated with APEL, to the artists and other entities involved, for the prompt solidarity and understanding demonstrated over the last few days."

"The new program will be announced soon, hoping that families, book and music fans, can respond positively to the President of the Republic's invitation to what will be the last edition of the Book Festival in Belém during his presidential terms," ​​the same note adds.

This will be the eighth and final edition of the Book Festival in the Belém Palace gardens, an initiative, with free entry, that Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa launched in his first year as head of state, 2016, in collaboration with APEL, to promote reading.

In the palace gardens, in addition to stalls selling books and signings, there are debates, films, music, and activities for children. The Book Festival was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The original program for this year's edition, scheduled for September 4th through 7th, included concerts by Carolina Deslandes, Rui Veloso, Bárbara Tinoco, and Xutos & Pontapés. The program also included a debate on "Portugal and the Future" with Manuela Ferreira Leite and António Barreto, moderated by Pedro Mexia.

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