On the 10th of June, the 12th edition of the National Reading Competition took place at the Teatro-Cine de Pombal. The winner in the 7th to 9th Grade category was Natacha Costa Fernandes, a student at Colégio Bernardette Romeira, with her presentation of the poem "Goodbye" by Eugénio de Andrade.
Natacha Fernandes is a 14-year-old girl who reveals the main characteristics of excellence, persistence and determination that she dedicates to all the challenges she proposes, in academic life, in sport and in the performing arts.
The National Reading Contest is an initiative of the 2027 National Reading Plan, in partnership with the School Library Network, the General Directorate of Books, Archives and Libraries, Camões IP, the Directorate of Teaching Services and Portuguese Schools Abroad, whose main objective is to encourage children and young people to practice autonomous reading and for pleasure.
About 5 000 students from 1 000 schools located in Portugal, in the archipelagos of Madeira and the Azores and in other countries have registered to participate in this initiative.
135 Municipal Libraries were also actively involved in this contest, during which 800 literary works were read and presented by the students.
