RIO DE JANEIRO
FAST FACTS
Rio de Janeiro is the birthplace of several distinguished authors who have gained national and international acclaim. Notable figures include Machado de Assis, Lima Barreto, João do Rio, Carlos Drummond de Andrade, Nélida Piñon, Conceição Evaristoand Cecília Meireles, each contributing significantly to the rich tapestry of Brazilian literature and leaving an indelible mark on the world's literary scene.
Renowned for its literary culture, Rio de Janeiro houses several key institutions: the Brazilian Academy of Letters, established in 1897, upholds the Portuguese language and Brazilian literature; the National Library, one of Latin America's largest, is a hub for extensive literary works; the Royal Portuguese Reading Room, notable for its stunning architecture and vast Portuguese literary collection, fosters cultural connections; and the National Union of Book Publishers (SNEL) plays a vital role in Brazil's book publishing industry, advocating for publishers and promoting book distribution.
Rio has been designated as the World Book Capital by UNESCO. The city is the first Brazilian and Portuguese-speaking city to receive the title of World Book Capital, an honor granted by UNESCO in recognition of its excellent book and reading promotion programs. The city will assume this prestigious role in 2025, charged with fostering literature and coordinating events throughout the year.
Rio's Carnival is one of the most vibrant and world-famous festivities. The Carnival of Rio de Janeiro is a spectacle of colors, music, and joy. Known for its extravagant parades of samba schools, the event attracts millions of visitors from around the globe. The Carnival is a vibrant expression of Brazilian culture, where music, dance, and creativity unite in a memorable celebration.
Rio de Janeiro has a notable historical past as the capital of empires. The city was the capital of the Portuguese Empire, when the Portuguese royal family moved to Brazil in 1808, and acted as the capital of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil, and the Algarves in 1815. Later, it became the capital of the Brazilian Empire following Brazil's independence in 1822. Subsequently, Rio de Janeiro served as the capital of Brazil until 1960 when Brasília was inaugurated as the new capital. This significant era in Rio's history contributed greatly to its cultural and architectural richness.
Rio de Janeiro boasts one of the largest networks of cultural facilities in Latin America. Acting as Brazil’s Capital of Culture, Rio is a hub for artistic and cultural activities, hosting a multitude of museums, art galleries, theaters, and cultural spaces that reflect the diversity and richness of Brazilian and Latin American culture.
BOOK FESTIVALS
The Rio de Janeiro Book Biennial is the largest literature, culture, and entertainment festival in Brazil, recognized as part of Rio de Janeiro's Intangible Cultural Heritage. The festival celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2023, attracting an impressive 600,000 visitors to Riocentro. With over 5.5 million books sold by 497 exhibiting publishers, averaging nine books per person, the event set new records. To underscore its commitment to education, the Biennial engaged over 100,000 students from public schools. The last edition featured an intense 10-day official program, involving 380 authors in over 200 hours of activities on unique stages, fostering significant interaction with the audience. Specifically for children, a 600-square-meter immersive interaction space was created. The Biennial remains a vital hub for literature, cultural exchange, and fostering a rich environment where readers, authors, and thinkers converge to share ideas and passions.
The Reader's Festival (Ler) is one of the largest open festivals of culture. A meeting of all ideas and expressions to stimulate dialogue and creation. With an innovative and interactive approach, the Reader's Festival is a dynamic platform for debate and promotion of reading. This festival is characterized by its diversity of activities including workshops, lectures, and meetings with authors, providing a rich environment for the exchange of knowledge and literary experiences. The festival aims not only to celebrate reading, but also to stimulate a passion for books in people of all ages.
The Literary Festival of the Peripheries (Flup) focuses on literature produced and consumed in urban peripheries. Flup offers a platform for often marginalized voices, highlighting the richness and diversity of literature from the peripheral communities of Rio de Janeiro. Combining lectures, writing workshops, public readings, and debates, Flup plays a crucial role in promoting social inclusion through literature while celebrating the cultural diversity of Rio de Janeiro.
Paixão de Ler celebrates the power of storytelling, poetry, and offers over 100 activities. The festival features an array of events, including workshops, exhibitions, debates, literary gatherings, storytelling, lectures, and interactions with esteemed writers. The event is tailored to enthrall audiences of all ages, offering a wholly free program. Hosted across various locations, including municipal libraries, schools in Rio de Janeiro, cultural facilities of the Municipal Secretariat of Culture, the festival is a beacon of literary culture. It aims to kindle a passion for reading and provide a vibrant platform for cultural and literary exchanges, enriching the city's cultural landscape.
MAIN PROJECT
Bibliotecas do Amanhã Designed by the Municipal Secretariat of Culture, it represents the city's most significant investment in strengthening the connection of its citizens with municipal libraries. As a pioneering initiative in the City of Rio de Janeiro, the program aims to reimagine libraries as community gathering spaces and enrich cultural experiences by upgrading their ambiance, physical and digital collections, automated cataloging, assistive technologies, and heritage management systems. This approach ensures a magnificent and state-of-the-art experience in municipal libraries, preparing the population for richer interactions with various cultural facilities.
