Galician Literature Day

Galician Literature Day (Día das Letras Galegas) is celebrated annually on 17 May in Galicia, an autonomous community in northwestern Spain. Established in 1963 by the Royal Galician Academy, the date commemorates the publication in 1863 of Cantares gallegos by Rosalía de Castro, a foundational work of modern Galician literature and a defining text of the Galician cultural revival known as the Rexurdimento. The holiday also honors the long literary tradition expressed through the Galician language, including medieval lyric poetry, modern poetry, fiction, drama, and oral culture.

The observance has become one of Galicia’s most important cultural and linguistic commemorations. Each year, the Royal Galician Academy dedicates the event to a significant Galician-language writer or cultural figure, organizing lectures, exhibitions, school programs, publications, and performances around that person’s work. The day reflects both literary appreciation and the historical defense of Galician as a language of public life, education, artistic expression, and collective identity, particularly after periods in which its official and cultural use was restricted.

Celebrations take place throughout Galicia and in Galician communities beyond Spain. Schools, libraries, universities, town halls, cultural associations, and bookshops commonly arrange poetry readings, theatrical performances, storytelling sessions, literary walks, writing contests, book displays, and public discussions about the year’s honoree. Students often study selected poems or stories, create posters and recitations, and take part in concerts or stage productions. Museums and cultural institutions may present manuscripts, photographs, recordings, and exhibitions tracing the development of Galician literature.

The day is also marked by the public use and celebration of the Galician language, with authors, musicians, teachers, and civic leaders participating in ceremonies and media programs. Traditional music, choral singing, recitation, and community gatherings often accompany the literary activities, while local festivals may include Galician dishes such as empanada, caldo galego, pulpo á feira, and regional cheeses. There is no single compulsory greeting, but natural expressions include “Feliz Día das Letras Galegas!” and “Viva a literatura galega!” meaning “Happy Galician Literature Day!” and “Long live Galician literature!”