Singer Dua Lipa has opened a physical library of banned books, called The Manifesto Library, in the city of Porto. The initiative is part of her book club Service95, founded in 2022, and aims to defend the freedom of reading and oppose literary censorship.
According to the official announcement, the library is created as a vibrant cultural space for reading, debate, and public reflection. It only contains books that have been banned or censored in various countries.
In her statement, Dua Lipa emphasized that this library is a tribute to books that have disappeared from shelves, to authors who have challenged power structures, and to readers who refuse to be dictated to what they should read.
"Sometimes the most challenging thing you can do is read a book and then talk about it," the artist said.
Her initiative joins the efforts of other international artists who have supported freedom of expression and opposed censorship in literature.
