The event, aiming for a more intimate feel this year, seeks to bring generations together, foster the sharing of ideas between various audiences and authors, and promote debate on literature and creativity. The program includes initiatives for schoolchildren, children, and families, with the goal of encouraging a love for books and reading.
The initiative includes book sales, managed by city bookstores and the Livraria Municipal. A new feature this year is the Espaço de Trocas (Exchange Space), where readers can swap books they've already read for others available on-site. These book sales and exchange stands will be open daily from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM in the foyer of the Pequeno Auditório.
The opening session is scheduled for 6:00 PM on November 9th, in the Pequeno Auditório of the TMG. Following this, at 6:30 PM, there will be a conversation with João Pedro George on “Biography, research, and literary memory”. In the evening, at 9:00 PM, a concert-conversation will feature João Pedro George and João Monteiro on guitar, themed “Spoken word, memory, and guitar”.
November 10th will be dedicated to “Discovering and Remembering Eduardo Lourenço”. At 2:30 PM, Carlos Reis will lead a conference/debate on “Eduardo Lourenço: five topics for a generation”. At 6:00 PM, Guarda Livros will host “Authors in the Theatre – Encounters with authors from Guarda”.
On Wednesday, November 11th, the theme will be “From Reading to Literary Creation”, with a school session in the morning and a conversation with João Morgado in the afternoon about “Life within Books”. At 6:00 PM, there will be another session of the Encounters with authors from Guarda.
November 12th will feature a school session on “Reading the territory” and the workshop “How a story is born” for 3rd-cycle students. Again at 6:00 PM, the Encounters with authors from Guarda will take place. At 7:30 PM, there will be a musical moment with writer Liliana Brás.
On Friday, November 13th, the school session will cover “Change the narrator, change the story”, and in the afternoon, at 3:00 PM, Liliana Brás will lead a writing workshop.
Saturday, November 14th, will be dedicated to families with the activity “Between Books and Cakes” at 11:00 AM, an informal gathering around books, featuring story readings and shared suggestions. The initiative is for children aged 6 and up, accompanied by family members. In the afternoon, at 3:00 PM, Filipa Martins will lead the narrative “Between literature, journalism, and biography”. The day concludes with a concert-conversation at 9:00 PM, featuring João Gentil and João de Almeida Santos.
On Sunday, November 15th, the final day of the event will include the workshop “Take your book to the theatre” at 11:00 AM, for families with children aged 6 and up. In the afternoon, at 3:00 PM, writer Maria João Lopo de Carvalho will be present for the final author-audience encounter.
Guarda Livros is promoted by the Municipality of Guarda, through the Eduardo Lourenço Municipal Library (BMEL), and aims to be a space for creativity and innovation, highlighting the transformative role of culture in strengthening the community.
