An interpretation center dedicated to the life and work of writer José Luís Peixoto will be inaugurated in Galveias, in the municipality of Ponte de Sor (Portalegre), on the 21st, in an investment of more than 387 thousand euros.
The project, to be inaugurated at 10:30 on the 21st and developed by the Galveias Parish Council, will occupy an old manor house in that village, where the writer was born.
Speaking to the Lusa news agency, the president of the parish council, Maria Fernanda Bacalhau, explained today that this is a “structuring” project for the identification and identity of the region, since the town has the “privilege” of having José Luís Peixoto among its native inhabitants.
“It’s a project that adds value to our territory, to the promotion of the parish, bearing in mind that José Luís Peixoto is a born ambassador for Galveias around the world,” he noted.
The idea of setting up the José Luís Peixoto Interpretation Center came about following the launch of the novel “Galveias” by the writer.
The parish council submitted an application, which was approved, to VALORIZAR, Turismo de Portugal’s program to support investment in promoting the qualification of Portugal as a tourist destination, so the project will receive a 70% subsidy.
The interpretation center is located in the space where the Casa da Cultura used to be, which has since been moved to another location, and the Galveias Parish Council has refurbished the building to accommodate this new project.
Maria Fernanda Bacalhau explained that the facility will operate on three floors, with a room for temporary exhibitions which, at the inauguration, will already feature a photography exhibition alluding to the writer’s work, entitled “Morreste-me”.
“We’re going to open with this photography exhibition,” inspired by “the book the writer wrote when his father died,” he said.
The mayor also explained that the center has another room dedicated to the book “Galveias”, a multi-purpose multimedia room and a reading space.
Another feature is an area focused on the writer’s career and work, where visitors can see covers and copies of José Luís Peixoto’s books, written in the various languages in which his work was published around the world.
“There is also another space dedicated to José Luís Peixoto’s other activities, not just those related to writing, because during his youth he was involved in music and other cultural events, travel, among other things,” he said.
On the 21st, the “Galveias” Literary Route will also be inaugurated, consisting of 22 points recorded in the writer’s literary work and which ‘invite’ visitors to tour the parish.
“The literary route are points of interest in the town and parish, points mentioned in the book ‘Galveias’, such as buildings, chapels, buildings with history, squares, holm oaks, among others. These points have a route that starts and ends at the interpretation center,” she said.
At the inauguration of the José Luis Peixoto Interpretation Center, the Galveense Philharmonic Society Band will also perform.
