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MANILA, Philippines – At Dia del Libro, you buy a book, you get a rose. This is something bookworms and romantics alike have come to look forward every April since 2006, as the Instituto Cervantes de Manila holds its annual book market in celebration of International Book Day.
The tradition of exchanging books for roses originates from Spain, where men and women exchange books and roses on St. George’s Day. But at Dia del Libro, you don’t have to choose betwen a book or a rose – you get both.
This year’s event will be held at the Ayala Triangle Gardens in Makati on April 21, and as always, people can expect piles upon piles of books for sale from pubishing houses and top bookstores (and obviously, the more books you buy, the more roses you get!). According to Instituto Cervantes, for this year’s celebration, they will even be giving books away for free.
People can also enjoy poetry readings, free Spanish classes, book presentations, street art, and games. For the football fans in particular, La Liga (Spain’s football league), will be hosting a game where you can score a goal to win prizes.
In the evening, the Manila Symphony Orchestra will be performing a free concert, with classic pieces from both Spain and the Philippines.
The pop-up library “The Book Stop” is also scheduled to return to Ayala Triangle, giving book lovers a space to borrow books or exchange their well-loved reads for exciting new stories.
Those who want to receive more roses can participate in the Rewriting of Don Quijote. Instituto Cervantes is looking for 500 volunteers to be part of the activity, that challenges participants to re-write Miguel de Cervantes’ canonical novel Don Quixote de La Mancha by hand. The final hand-written book will be kept in the Instituto Cervantes library, forever a piece of literary history. Those who want to participate can in the activity on the day itself, and those who join will be given a rose.
Aside from this, the Chilean Embassy is mounting an exhibit on one of their renowned poets, the late Nicanor Parra. For the kids, there will also be storytelling sessions in both Filipino and English, as well as a Silent Disco.
The winners of the National Book Awards will also be around for visitors to meet and talk to.
Admission to Dia del Libro 2018 is free on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, visit the Instituto Cervantes de Manila website or Facebook page. – Rappler.com
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