Global pop star Dua Lipa has opened a permanent library in Porto, Portugal, dedicated to banned and censored books. Named The Manifesto Library, the initiative aims to promote free thought, freedom of expression and a stronger reading culture.
The library officially opened on 27 June during the Babel International Book Festival. It is housed inside Livraria Lello, one of Portugal’s best-known bookshops. The project marks Dua Lipa’s first physical library and expands her Service95 Book Club, launched in 2022.
Speaking at the inauguration, Dua Lipa said banning a book means losing far more than a story. She said it also deprives people of the opportunity to think, express themselves and ask questions. She added that the library celebrates writers, books and readers who believe in the freedom to think independently.
The Manifesto Library features 100 books that have faced bans or censorship at different times. The collection is organised around four themes: power, control, voice and memory.
The initiative aims to introduce readers to books that encourage independent thinking, defend freedom of expression and challenge censorship.
The collection includes The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell, The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir, The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa and The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie.
Dua Lipa said she hopes the library will become a safe space for writers and readers alike. She said visitors should feel free to read, explore new ideas and exchange opinions.
The launch comes as book bans continue to rise in several countries, particularly in schools and public libraries. Through the initiative, Dua Lipa hopes to place important and often controversial books back into the hands of readers.
