Jerez de la Frontera's mayor, María José García-Pelayo, welcomed speakers, participants, and collaborators at the inaugural National Reading Clubs Meeting, organised by the Ateneo de Jerez with support from the local council and the Ministry of Culture. The mayor highlighted the significance of alliances in fostering cultural growth, particularly through the initiative 'Jerez Ciudad Cultural', which promotes a growing love for literature.
The opening ceremony featured remarks from Blanca Flores Cueto, the subdelegate of the Government, and Gustavo Adolfo Cordero Bueso, president of the Ateneo de Jerez. García-Pelayo extended her hand to both the Ateneo and the Spanish Government, advocating for Jerez to become the permanent venue for this national event. She stated, “Meetings like this demonstrate that when administrations work together, things turn out better.”
The mayor underscored the transformative power of culture at all levels, recalling that Jerez recently hosted the annual meeting of the Instituto Cervantes, which operates over a hundred centres worldwide, and welcomed Her Majesty the Queen on that occasion. She also mentioned an event organised by the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP) to honour reading clubs and their innovative contributions, expressing her delight in seeing small towns establish their own clubs as vital community hubs.
Addressing the attendees, García-Pelayo expressed gratitude for their journey across Spain to attend the event, encouraging them to enjoy the local cuisine, as Jerez is recognised as the Spanish Capital of Gastronomy.
Blanca Flores Cueto emphasised the value of reading as a “refuge and therapy”, reaffirming her commitment to its potential for social development and transformative values. Gustavo Adolfo Cordero Bueso reflected on the Ateneo's two-decade dedication to promoting reading, highlighting the emotional connections fostered through shared literary experiences. He remarked, “Reading clubs embody community, listening, and complicity, proving that reading is not a solitary act but an endless conversation.”
The National Reading Clubs Meeting will continue until Saturday at the Sala Paúl. The event began with a minute of silence for the victims of the recent train accident in Urda and was attended by delegates for Youth, Education, and Culture.
The inaugural conference, titled 'Bibliotherapy: reading as a source of pleasure and well-being', was delivered by Julio Alonso Arévalo, Chief Librarian at the University of Salamanca. The programme aims to bring together individuals and organisations from across Spain to exchange experiences, share methodologies, discuss common challenges, and strengthen the role of reading clubs as spaces for participation, learning, and cultural dynamism.
Activities include professional reflection, practical workshops, and cultural experiences in Jerez, with a focus on the Fundación Caballero Bonald and a visit to its headquarters. Participants will also visit the Ateneo de Jerez for an open mic session dedicated to 'José Manuel Caballero Bonald, Ateneísta de Honor'. The programme will celebrate the Generation of '27' and the female authors known as 'Las Sin Sombrero', coinciding with their upcoming centenary. The closing conference will feature Luis García Montero, who will present 'The rooms and the books'.
