Irish writer James Joyce is a conspicuous figure in universal literature, but do you know what Bloomsday is? Here’s what Wikipedia has to say:

“Bloomsday is a commemoration observed annually on June 16th in Dublin and elsewhere to celebrate the life of IrishwriterJames Joyce and relive the events in his novel Ulysses, all of which took place on the same day in Dublin in 1904. Joyce chose the date because his first outing with his wife-to-be, Nora Barnacle happened on that day, when they walked to the Dublin urban village of Ringsend. The name derives fromLeopold Bloom, the protagonist of Ulysses.”

A group of literature lovers – as well as Joyce lovers – is promoting the 25th Bloomsday celebration in Natal (RN, Brazil) throughout the month of June, 2011: “James Joyce e a Cultura Irlandesa.”

Prof. Ana Graça Canan, who is organising the event alongside Prof. Francisco Ivan, has kindly emailed us with the folder containing the event’s timetable. Please see below:

The evening of the 16th of June will be open to the general public.

This is a great opportunity to learn more about the life and work of one of the most important and brilliant writers in universal literature – it’s also an opportunity to make contacts, see old friends and have fun!

We at BRAZ-TESOL RN would like to congratulate Ana Graça Canan and Edilson Souza (two important BRAZ-TESOL RN founding members) as well as all the other people involved in this endeavour.

And to close, we leave you with some poetic words from the event’s folder:

Bloomsday 2011. Um projeto, um evento, um sentimento. O resultado de discussões, paixões, projeções, emoções. A união de alguns em prol de uma realização que nos faça transcender o comum, ultrapassar o fazer por fazer. A busca por um sentimento que nos leve mais longe, à procura de outros horizontes. Mais uma edição. A mais vibrante, a mais envolvente. Aquela que nos arremessou mais longe, nos fez ousar, explorar, pesquisar, navegar, buscar. A chance de sair da estagnação, da ‘paralisia moral’. Ser local e ser cosmopolita. Brasil e Irlanda; Natal e Dublin.

“If I can get to the heart of Dublin, I can get to the heart of all cities in the world. In the particular is contained the universal.”

Estabelecer laços, fazer contatos, abrir caminhos, conhecer culturas. Ruas em Dublin, reuniões em Natal. UFRN, Ulster University. Dubliners, Ulysses, Letters of James Joyce, Exiles. Recursos, emails, programação, exposição, palestras, filmes, mesa-redonda, leitura dramática, carta-convite, viagem. Palavras impregnadas de significados. Tempo dedicado a fazer sonhos virarem realidade. Inovar, extrapolar, ir, sentir, tocar, unir, internacionalizar, experimentar. Este é o espírito do Bloomsday 2011. Enjoy it!