For eight hours of reading, between 12 and 8 p.m., a total of 319 people gathered to read texts of poetry, essays, messages, letters and stories written by Mistral. A truly unprecedented event, not only for GAM but for the country, because for the first time a massive reading of Gabriela Mistral was held, for eight uninterrupted hours, open to the public.
Writers, ambassadors, directors of cultural spaces, journalists, activists, students, influencers, actresses, playwrights, representatives of indigenous peoples and GAM workers participated. Figures such as Connie Achurra, Nona Fernández, María Ignacia Omegna, Soledad Falabella, Alejandra Costamagna, among others, participated in the event. In addition, the readings were appreciated in different languages and languages, from Spanish to Arabic and Mapudungun.
The program was divided into blocks dedicated to different Mistralian themes: childhood, mother earth, We were all going to be queens, native peoples and good living, education, America and social justice and spirituality; in addition to the presence of mediation spaces and stands selling books from independent publishers.
“From the house that honorably bears his name, we wanted to celebrate with an unprecedented day of marathon, continuous reading and blocks that represent its diversity. We invite citizens, organizations, cultural institutions and independent publishers to celebrate together in this historic activity. Gabriela Mistral's contribution to rural education, her concern for Latin American identity, her diplomatic role, her poetry and thought, show us the versatility and depth of the only Nobel woman in the region. The Mistralian universe shows us a complex and holistic richness in its way of living and interpreting the world.”
— Alejandra Martí Olbrich, GAM executive director.
The day also included a mediation space in collaboration with Imanix and an instance for childhood; next to the National Reading Plan, boys and girls who answered the question What will become of Chile in heaven? together with stands of the Editorial Association of Chile that have Mistral books in their catalogs.
In addition, the day closed with Murga La Corre y Vola, a group of female singers, multi-instrumentalist musicians and interpreters in Chilean sign language.
