The 500th anniversary of the birth of the Portuguese poet Luís Vaz de Camões will be marked in Angra do Heroísmo next Friday with the presentation of the work “Os Lusíadas na escola e na sociedade” and the conference “Camões nos nossos dias: Educação literária para uma cidadania plena?”.
The initiative takes place at the Palácio dos Capitães Generais, starting at 6.30pm, and is promoted by the Azores Delegation of the Historical Society of the Independence of Portugal (SHIP).
The book “Os Lusíadas na escola e na sociedade” will be presented by the SHIP delegate in the Azores, Eduardo Ferraz da Rosa.
The book results from a colloquium in 2022, which celebrated the 450th anniversary of the first edition of “Os Lusíadas.”
The meeting was an initiative of the Center for Humanistic Studies of the University of the Azores, in collaboration with the Center for Portuguese Literature of that academy and the Public Library and Regional Archive of Ponta Delgada.
“Os Lusíadas na escola e na sociedade” brings together essays and studies by specialists, researchers, and university professors who have discussed the relevance of Camões’ epic in the educational and social spheres.
The book, which was recently launched in Ponta Delgada with a presentation by João Bosco Mota Amaral, is coordinated by Maria do Céu Fraga, Rui Tavares da Silva, and Madalena Teixeira da Silva and prefaced by José Augusto Cardoso Bernardes.
After the book’s presentation, the conference “Camões in our days: Literary education for full citizenship?” will occur.

Maria do Céu Fraga, a Professor at the University of the Azores, a specialist in the work of the author of “Os Lusíadas” and the primary person responsible for publishing the book presented in Terceira, will give the conference.
SHIP promotes this initiative under the patronage of the Representative of the Republic for the Azores, in partnership with the Regional Government and the “Letras Lavadas” publishing house.
Last December, the Portuguese government set up a consultative commission responsible for defining, by May, the program for the 500th anniversary of the birth of Luís Vaz de Camões.
The proposed program must be submitted to the government by May 20.
The celebrations will begin on June 10, the Day of Portugal, Camões, and the Portuguese Communities, and will continue until the same day in 2025.
It is not known on which day the man considered the greatest poet in Portuguese history was born. Still, according to researchers at the University of Coimbra, Camões was born on January 23, 1524.
The theory is based on a sonnet by the poet himself, which refers to a solar eclipse that occurred a year after Camões was born.

in Diário Insular-José Lourenço-director

Translation and post sponsored by Luso-American Financial.