The project emerged as a form of protest against the limited and constantly postponed official programme commemorating the poet’s 500th anniversary. It was symbolically launched on March 12, the date when the official opening of the Camões quincentenary celebrations was originally scheduled.
This school year, continuing the commemoration of Camões' 500th anniversary—with an agenda still falling short of what is deserved by the prince of Portuguese-language poets—CIV’s Secondary School Portuguese teacher, Alexandrina Lourenço, encouraged her students to take on the challenge once more, inviting them to share their knowledge with younger students outside the school.
The project was welcomed by the Loulé Municipality Library Network (RBCL) and received logistical support from the Loulé City Council. The collaboration between the libraries in the network and the CIV Library, through its representative Dina Adão, made it possible to coordinate the invitations from various schools, aligning dates and planning visits.
The 11.º ano students debuted their project presentation on May 5 - Portuguese Language Day - at E.B.1 Prof. Sebastião Teixeira (in Salir) and E.B.1 of Querença (in the presence of a group of senior citizens, making this intergenerational sharing of knowledge an even more enriching experience). On the morning of May 8th, the CIV students visited E.B.1 of Vale Judeu, E.B.1 Hortas de Santo António, and E.B.1 Mãe Soberana.
Everywhere they went, the CIV students were enthusiastically welcomed by their younger colleagues. They led playful, imaginative sessions ranging from theatre performances to games, painting activities, and dynamic presentations. The poet was celebrated in a variety of formats, leaving all participants with a sense of great satisfaction, a job well done, and a strong desire to repeat the experience.
"The school's involvement in literary projects is essential to cultivating critical thinking, aesthetic sensitivity, and cultural pride among our students. By celebrating the 500th anniversary of the birth of Luís de Camões - a singular figure in the Western literary canon - we reaffirm our commitment to valuing Portuguese literature and to shaping readers who are aware of the richness of our cultural heritage," reiterated the Pedagogical Director, Cidália Bicho.