BOOK 2.0 RETURNS TO DEBATE THE CHALLENGES OF BOOKS AND READING

Given the success of the first edition of Book 2.0, the Portuguese Association of Editors and Booksellers (APEL) launches the second edition of the biggest event meant for the discussion of the future of books in Portugal and Europe on the 5th and 6th of September 2024, in Lisbon. Under the theme #TheFutureOfReading, Book 2.0 aims to place at the center of the debate the main challenges that books and reading face, pointing out ways to overcome them, through the voices of today's great national and international writers and thinkers.

The event is part of a set of initiatives led by APEL, also responsible for organizing the Lisbon Book Fair, with the main goal of promoting books and editorial, distribution and bookselling activities. “This is the time to continue to question, to defend new and stronger policies, to persist and be resilient in defining the path to preserve our legacy and wisdom”, states Pedro Sobral, President of APEL.

“Book 2.0 was born last year and it is back to reinforce the mission of promoting reading, literacy and education rates in Portugal, identifying and promoting concrete actions for the development of society, the economy and the country's positioning in the European context”, highlights Pedro Sobral. The first edition of Book 2.0 featured, over two days, more than 60 speakers and more than 500 participants.

Book 2.0 is, once again, organized by chapters, just like a book: Opening – Preface; Chapter 1 – The Future of Publishing in the Digital Age; Chapter 2 – From Ecological Footprint to Rethinking Diversity; and Chapter 3 – Education as a Gateway to Unleash Human Potential; and Summary – Commitments for the Future.

Book 2.0 opens its second edition diving into its mission to write new lines. Reflection lines about the best that books bring and how they can prosper in an increasingly digital world, highlighting the importance of a well-informed and structured society. In this opening session, in addition to the president of APEL - who will present the results of another study on book purchasing habits in Portugal and which this year will also cover reading habits - Nguyen Phan Que Mai (Vietnam), author of the best-seller The Mountains Sing, will address 'The Power of Books' and Vanessa Portilla, COO of the World Literacy Foundation (United Kingdom), will speak on the topic 'Changing Lives through Literacy'.

As we enter the first chapter, The Future of Publishing in the Digital Age, it is necessary to ask: what does it mean to be human in a digital age? What should we preserve and where are we allowed to innovate? How does human creativity intertwine with artificial intelligence? How does a dynamic interplay between human intellect and technological advances affect our cognitive capabilities? How does social media serve as a platform to connect us? How are we changing the reading experience?

The North American author of the international bestsellers The Perfect Marriage, One of Us is Dead and You Shouldn't Have Come Here, Jeneva Rose, will present 'Challenges of a “Best Seller” and the Power of Digital'. Armenian Narine Abgaryan will talk about 'Endless Inspiration: Based on True Stories', author of a dozen internationally successful books written in Russian, including the nationally successful, award-winning trilogy about Manunia, a busy and troubled 11-year-old child from a small Armenian town, Berd.

During the afternoon, Book 2.0 enters the From Ecological Footprint to Rethinking Diversity chapter and will overlook the challenge faced by the publishing industry aiming to rethink its ecological footprint and adopt sustainability as the new path to follow. Rachel Martin (Netherlands), Director of Global Sustainability at Elsevier, will present the first recommendations of the 'Carbon Footprint Whitepaper', which is the result of a study measuring the carbon footprint of the publishing industry in Portugal. The idea of carrying out this pioneering study arose precisely in the 2023 edition of Book 2.0 - in a conversation with António Redondo, President of the Executive Committee of Navigator - with the aim of obtaining precise data on how books are produced in the country, in order to determine future changes that may take it, at least in this sector, closer to Net Zero.

Jeff Goodell, author of the best-seller The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet and a constant presence on the largest North American television channels to comment on issues related to Energy and the Environment, will certainly make a relevant contribution on the profound impact of the rising temperatures on our planet. On the same panel, Eduardo Sá, Clinical Psychologist, Psychoanalyst, Professor and Author, will do the Podcast “Porque Sim” Não é Resposta (“Just Because” Is Not an Answer) directly from the Book 2.0 stage.

North American Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of books such as The Ex Talk or Weather Girl, comes to talk about the topic ‘Inclusiveness: We Are Infinite’. The Minister of Youth and Modernization of Portugal, Margarida Balseiro Lopes, will also be interviewed on the question ‘Can young people solve today’s challenges?’. The President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, will give the closing speech on the first day of this edition of Book 2.0.

The second day of the event begins with chapter 3, Education as a Gateway to Unleash Human Potential, in which speakers will look at how we can and should prepare future generations to answer the most complex questions humanity has ever faced. How can we become better humans? What does it mean to be happy in the 21st century? To address this topic, Book 2.0 brings to Portugal the North American Galit Atlas, author and psychoanalyst, to talk about ' Emotional Inheritance: A Therapist, Her Patients and The Legacy of Trauma', also counting on the participation by Ricardo Costa, CEO of Bernardo da Costa, and Manuel Clemente in a conversation entitled 'Are We Truly Happy?'.

On this day, Wayne Holmes, Professor at the Open University, in London, and UNESCO consultant for AI and Education, comes to talk about ‘Artificial Intelligence in Education: Ethics, Human Rights, Social Justice’.

On a national level, journalist and author José Rodrigues dos Santos participates virtually in a live interview on ‘How can Romance contribute to Education’. In another panel, Portuguese author Isabel Machado and Luis Zueco (Spain), will address the topic ‘Education seen through the eyes of History’.

Just like the previous year, and because Book 2.0 has the purpose of generating commitments for the future, this morning will end with a summary, Commitments for the Future, which will feature the presence of several institutional speakers. It is already confirmed the presence of Su Blackwell, a book artist from the United Kingdom, who will speak about 'Books: The School of Dreams', as well as the Minister of State and Foreign Affairs of Portugal, Paulo Rangel, at the closing ceremony.

More than an event, this will be an invitation to pick up our collective pen and participate actively in praising the true mirror of democratic representation, in the search for more intellectual freedom and wisdom. This is a story about humanity. A story that Book 2.0 began writing in its inaugural edition, in 2023, and which aims to create continuity, for the future of books, literacy and education in Portugal and Europe.

The 2024 edition of Book 2.0 has the High Patronage of His Excellency the President of Portugal, the Support of Câmara Municipal de Lisboa, Fundação Oriente, International Publishers Association, World Literacy Foundation, C. Santos VP and Altis Belém, having Vanilla Project as its strategic and production partner.

Book 2.0 Website and Social media 
https://book.apel.pt/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/book2.0_apel/ 
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/book20apel/ 
X - https://twitter.com/Book20271226 
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/book20apel/

Book 2.0 Promotional Video – 2024 Edition - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T6YB475Bwo