Rio de Janeiro is the World Book Capital this year!

On 22nd April 2025, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, hosted the opening ceremony for its year as the UNESCO World Book Capital City, succeeding Strasbourg, France.

The opening ceremony, held at the Carlos Gomes Theater, was attended by authorities, Unesco representatives and prominent figures of Brazilian culture, such as writers Ruy Castro and Conceiçã oEvaristo. Artistic performances by names such as Fernanda Abreu, Toni Garrido, Gregório Duvivier and Elisa Lucinda, inspired by works of national literature, set the tone for the celebration, reaffirming the richness, creativity and diversity of our literary production.

At the ceremony, Dante Cid, President of SNEL said “The opening of Rio World Book Capital marks a new chapter for Brazil – a chapter that celebrates the book as a bridge, as a seed and as a meeting. At SNEL, we reaffirm our commitment to a plural, accessible and lively publishing industry. Our work begins when a book meets a reader, anywhere: at school, on the street, in the library or in the heart of a new idea. May this year be of fertile encounters, transformative readings and words that lead us to a fairer, more critical and more sensitive society,”