Pop star Dua Lipa opened the Manifesto Library on June 28, 2026, to house banned and censored books [1].
The project marks a significant shift in the singer's public efforts, moving beyond music to tackle global censorship and the restriction of intellectual freedom. By establishing a permanent physical space for suppressed literature, Lipa is utilizing her global platform to challenge the systemic removal of diverse narratives from public access.
The library is located within the Livraria Lello in Porto, Portugal [2]. This site serves as a permanent installation dedicated to texts that have been targeted by authorities or institutional censors [3].
According to reports, the Manifesto Library contains 100 contemporary books that have challenged authority [4]. These works were selected specifically for their role in questioning dominant narratives, and resisting exclusion [5].
Lipa said the library was created to challenge power and champion the right to read [6]. The initiative aims to provide a sanctuary for literature that has been deemed dangerous or subversive by various governments and organizations [7].
The opening in Porto aligns with a broader international movement against book bans. By framing the library as a "shrine" to banned books, the project emphasizes the historical and cultural importance of preserving texts that power structures attempt to erase [8].
“The Manifesto Library contains 100 contemporary books that have challenged authority”
The establishment of the Manifesto Library reflects a growing trend of high-profile cultural figures leveraging their influence to combat rising censorship. By placing the collection in a globally recognized landmark like Livraria Lello, the project transforms the act of reading banned literature into a public statement on intellectual autonomy and the preservation of dissent.
