Ai Weiwei and Livraria Lello Launch Anti-Censorship Project for BABELL 2026

Livraria Lello, one of the world's most iconic bookstores, has teamed up with artist Ai Weiwei for its upcoming international literary festival, BABELL, happening from June 24 to 29, 2026, in Porto. This festival responds to more than 10,000 cases of book censorship reported in North American schools in the past two years. Ai Weiwei will present a notable sculpture called A4, launching on June 24, representing protests with a blank page. Additionally, a new poetry collection by his father, Ai Qing, facing political oppression, will feature a foreword by Weiwei, along with a series of censored works with his custom covers. The event aims to make Porto a hub for literature and art, with authors like Margaret Atwood and Salman Rushdie involved. Visitors can attend by purchasing a book from a local store. Francisca Pedro Pinto, Livraria Lello's brand director, pointed out that books saved Livraria Lello and can now empower the city. Ai Weiwei noted that the real threat to authoritarianism is the ability of people to think and express themselves freely. This partnership was announced on World Book Day.