Grammy-winning pop star Dua Lipa is taking her passion for literature beyond the digital space with the launch of a unique physical library dedicated to banned and censored books.
In partnership with Porto’s renowned Livraria Lello bookstore, Lipa has introduced The Manifesto Library, a curated collection of 100 books that have faced restriction, censorship, or outright bans due to themes surrounding race, sexuality, and LGBTQIA+ issues.
The library officially opened on June 27 and is housed within Livraria Lello’s newly developed cultural auditorium. It also pays tribute to authors who endured persecution and in some cases lost their lives because of their work.
Speaking on the initiative, Lipa reflected on her broader literary mission. “When I founded the Service95 Book Club, my ambition was for it to become a home for writers and readers everywhere,” she said. “Sometimes the most subversive thing you can do is read a book and then talk about it.”
More than just a collection of books, The Manifesto Library is designed as a living cultural space one that encourages reading, dialogue, and critical engagement with ideas that challenge censorship and dominant narratives.
For Lipa, the project represents a deeper commitment to the power of literature as a tool for reflection, resistance, and social change—transforming reading into both a personal and collective act of expression.
Grammy-winning pop star Dua Lipa is taking her passion for literature beyond the digital space with the launch of a unique physical library dedicated to banned and censored books.
In partnership with Porto’s renowned Livraria Lello bookstore, Lipa has introduced The Manifesto Library, a curated collection of 100 books that have faced restriction, censorship, or outright bans due to themes surrounding race, sexuality, and LGBTQIA+ issues.
The library officially opened on June 27 and is housed within Livraria Lello’s newly developed cultural auditorium. It also pays tribute to authors who endured persecution—and in some cases lost their lives because of their work.
Speaking on the initiative, Lipa reflected on her broader literary mission. “When I founded the Service95 Book Club, my ambition was for it to become a home for writers and readers everywhere,” she said. “Sometimes the most subversive thing you can do is read a book and then talk about it.”
More than just a collection of books, The Manifesto Library is designed as a living cultural space one that encourages reading, dialogue, and critical engagement with ideas that challenge censorship and dominant narratives.
For Lipa, the project represents a deeper commitment to the power of literature as a tool for reflection, resistance, and social change transforming reading into both a personal and collective act of expression.
