Dua Lipa has opened a library in Portugal dedicated entirely to censored or banned books.

It is called Manifesto Library and collects one hundred books, divided into four sections: power, control, voice, and memory.

Dua Lipa has decided to open a unique library: it is called Manifesto Library and collects books that have been censored or banned, housed in a section of the famous and historic bookstore Livraria Lello (considered one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world) in Porto, Portugal, as part of the new international book festival BABELL, City of Books.

The singer described this new project as “a dream partnership.” “It’s no secret that I’m a reader,” Dua Lipa said. “Wherever I go, if you take a look in my bag, you’ll find a book (or even four). For me, reading is comfort. Expansion. Escape. When I founded the Service95 Book Club, my ambition was for it to become a home for writers and readers, wherever they are and whatever their circumstances. Reading the world brings us closer, but unfortunately not everyone shares this principle.” Dua Lipa refers to a political and social issue that has become increasingly relevant in recent years, namely the rise in the number of censored or banned books recorded in recent years, especially in the U.S. (5,600 books were subject to censorship and banning in 2025, the highest number in the last 30 years, according to the American Library Association). “Here you will find one hundred books that ask questions and for this reason have been placed on the index. Some have been banned by school districts because they address themes such as race or sexuality. Others, written for LGBTQIA+ readers, have faced distribution restrictions. In some cases, those who wrote them paid for their words with their lives. This library is a sanctuary for the books that have disappeared, for the authors whose courage exposes the structures of power and control, and for the readers who refuse to be told which book they are allowed to read. You are invited to visit it and decide for yourselves what belongs on the shelves of bookstores. Because sometimes the most subversive thing you can do is read a book and talk about it.

“The Manifesto Library collects one hundred volumes, divided into four thematic sections: power, control, voice, and memory. Among the available titles stand out masterpieces such as The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, Felon by Reginald Dwayne Betts, a selection of works by Salman Rushdie and Nobel Prize winner Olga Tokarczuk.