Sea of ​​Words Festival

«Read. To scan written or printed material, understanding the meaning of the characters used .»

This is the first meaning of the verb " to read" in the Dictionary of the Spanish Language . The academic dictionary also adds another meaning : "To understand or interpret a text in a certain way."

Reading is today a personal, intimate act, which has the power to draw us back into ourselves and, at the same time, to make us look beyond, inward or outward .

It wasn't always like this. Just remember the readings of the characters from Don Quixote at Juan Palomeque 's inn. Those who could read did so aloud, and the others listened raptly.

Our grandmothers used to gather us around their rocking chairs to tell us stories , sing us verses, or tempt us with intricate tongue twisters . And although today we read in silence, oblivious to our surroundings, we book lovers know that reading has that other shared dimension that completes and enriches it.

Emily Dickinson wrote that "for a long journey there is no ship like a book." This coming weekend, our ship of reading arrives at the port of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, its holds loaded with storytellers , with Scheherazades ready to save their lives and ours.

Such is the power of literature . And the ship reaches the shores of the Caribbean, transformed into a sea of ​​words , our words.

The René del Risco Bermúdez Foundation presents the Sea of ​​Words international literature festival. A distinguished group of writers will discuss books and readings. They will celebrate the pleasure of sharing passion and knowledge.

And, for three days, the written word will give way to the spoken word. We will once again be merchants around the desert fire, emir and Doniazada on a soft carpet, or guests of Juan Palomeque .

That silent dialogue that we readers establish with books has a delicious extension in the dialogue with other readers : if there is something we like almost as much as reading, it is talking about books .

If, in addition, we have the opportunity to hear about them firsthand from their creators—and there are many excellent ones that will be landing at Mar de Palabras —enjoyment and enrichment are guaranteed.

The René del Risco Bermúdez Foundation offers Mar de Palabras , the first international literature festival in the Caribbean region, as an open space for discussing books , inspiring readers, learning more about them and their creative process—in short, spreading the passion for reading.

And I sincerely believe that Sea of ​​Words arrives at the right time. We've complained so many times that people in the Dominican Republic don't read. But I feel that's changing, slowly and in small circles, but it's changing.

Emilio Lledó wrote in his book The Need for Literature that " books give us more, and they give us something else. In the silence of the writing whose lines speak to us, another distinct and renewing voice sounds." Even when our destination is distant, the voice of literature brings us closer to it. And this week in Santo Domingo, the voice of literature will be heard clearly, distinctly, and renewingly.

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