In celebration of International Book Day on April 23, the Embassy of El Salvador in Portugal recently held a Special Reading Session to pay tribute to the 125th anniversary of the birth of Alfredo Espino, one of El Salvador’s most beloved poets.

The event took place at the embassy and was organized in collaboration with The Silent Book Club of Lisbon, a local reading group. The initiative aimed to promote reading habits while also showcasing the work of Espino, often referred to as the “poet child” for the sensitivity and depth in his only published book, Jícaras Tristes.

The session featured three parts: a reading of selected poems from Jícaras Tristes translated into Portuguese and read aloud by Portuguese writer Elisa Scarpa, a silent individual reading period, and a final space for conversation and reflection among participants.

“Sharing Espino’s verses in a different language and country is a way to keep his poetic spirit alive and to build bridges through literature,” one participant noted.

At the end of the activity, each attendee received a copy of Jícaras Tristes, further spreading awareness of Salvadoran poetry on an international stage. The event not only encouraged cultural exchange between Portugal and El Salvador, but also celebrated literature as a timeless connection between cultures and generations.