Malaga celebrates World Book Day with cultural exchange

It was a different kind of afternoon. There was no interview with a guest, nor an audience seated in chairs listening. The stars of the show this time were all the books scattered around the Fábrica de Cervezas Victoria, waiting for their next reader.

The Aula de Cultura, which SUR had organised in collaboration with Fundación Unicaja and Cervezas Victoria, celebrated World Book Day on Thursday with a literary event that encouraged readers to meet and talk.

More than 150 people participated in the book exchange, giving stories a second life. Artist and DJ Julia Martín decorated the atmosphere with a set prepared specifically for the event.

'Bring a book, take one and stay for a beer' was the event slogan. Some recommended titles, others exchanged opinions and everyone was looking for something to take home.

The Aula de Cultura, however, wasn't just about talking about literature. It was also about listening. Four poets took the microphone at different times to recite verses in a kind of lyrical performance. Their names are Nacho Pérez Cerón, Patricia Conor, Jorge Villalobos and Lorena Carmona - four authors who brought soul, words and rhythm to Book Day.

For those who wanted more, there were hundreds of poems scattered around and hidden among the books, including verses by authors such as Jaime Gil de Biedma, Cristina Peri Rossi, Ángel González, Luis Cernuda, Piedad Bonnett and María Victoria Atencia. Another opportunity to encourage conversation, debate and reflection on literature.

As a memento, the attendees received bookmarks Cervezas Victoria had customised for the occasion. This small gesture is an invitation to return to printed pages - the best refuge in times of uncertainty, as the pandemic proved. "When times get tough, books are always there to keep us company," co-directors of the SUR Aula de Cultura Alberto Gómez and Regina Sotorrío said.