Reading promoted as a tool for social connection and education

António José Seguro has advocated for reading as a vital tool for social cohesion and a remedy against ignorance. Speaking at the Book Festival at Belém Palace alongside poet Manuel Alegre, Seguro emphasized that reading fosters a more cultured, free, and happy nation by promoting encounters and shared understanding.

In Brazil, recent data from the ‘Retratos da Leitura no Brasil’ research indicates a decline in readers, with the country losing over 6 million readers in four years. Despite this, the Câmara Brasileira do Livro reports a 35% increase in book clubs over the last two decades. This trend toward communal reading is also seen globally through platforms like Dua Lipa’s Service95 and various celebrity-led reading circles.