The University Choir team that performed at the Garfo Clube (Photo: personal archive)
When the University Choir of the Governador Valadares campus of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF-GV) took the stage at the Garfo Clube in the late afternoon of August 28, the 1st Fair of Books by Local and Regional Young and Adolescent Authors and the 1st Fair of Books by Local and Regional Authors of the Vale do Rio Doce came to an end in the form of music. Hours before, the audience that circulated through the space had contact with another university project: Vamos Ler!, which exhibited books by local writers who are part of the collection of the community library "Espaço Ler e Saber".
This double performance marked the presence of UFJF-GV at the fair, held from 10 am to 7 pm on Ilha dos Araújos. The event brought together local and regional authors with the aim of bringing the literary production of the Vale do Rio Doce to the public, and was organized by the Academia Valadarense de Letras (AVL) among others. It was the AVL that invited the university to participate in the program.
For Flavia Carvalho, a cultural producer at UFJF-GV and coordinator of the "Vamos Ler!" and "Coral Universitário" projects, the university's presence at events like this reinforces an institutional commitment. "As an institution committed to sociocultural development, we believe that literary fairs, especially in rural areas, play an essential role in promoting reading, strengthening cultural identity, and creating spaces for dialogue and interaction between authors and readers," she stated.
Community library brings the public closer to local authors
Scholarship student from the "Fomenting Art at UFJF-GV" project, Odontology student Nycoli Gomes, attended the public that visited the community library's collection (Photo: personal archive)
The first action carried out by UFJF-GV at the fair was protagonized by the "Vamos Ler!" project, which brought a selection of items from the "Espaço Ler e Saber" community library to the event. Maintained by the university in partnership with the Society of São Vicente de Paulo, the library prioritized works by local authors, donated by writers from the region in the first year of the project's implementation.
The public was attended by Odontology student Nycoli Gomes, a scholarship student from the "Fomenting Art at UFJF-GV – year II" project, linked to the Institutional Program for Artistic Initiation (PIBIART) of the Pro-Reitoria de Cultura (Procult). In practice, the space functioned as a showcase for the literary production of the Vale do Rio Doce, which is often far from major publishing circuits. "Making this material available is essential to value regional literature, give visibility to local authors, and preserve the memory and cultural identity of our community. In addition, initiatives like this encourage new readers and writers and reinforce the importance of the Community Library as a space for access, culture, and the valorization of stories produced in our own region," Nycoli emphasized.
Coral concludes the program with MPB
Wellington Paulo and Thatiana Alves during the performance of the song “Sem Fantasia” by Chico Buarque (Photo: personal archive)
The closing was by the Coral Universitário da UFJF-GV, which presented part of the new program “O Canto dos Cantos do Brasil”, focused on the diversity of MPB. Of the 25 current members, 15 climbed onto the stage, accompanied by the musical analyst Wellington Paulo.
In addition to the collective repertoire, the audience was able to enjoy two solo moments. Kênia Leal, who has been with the Coral since 2018, sang “Certas Coisas” by Lulu Santos. Subsequently, Thatiana Alves, a graduate of the UFJF-GV law program and one of the pioneers of the group, created in 2016, performed “Sem Fantasia” by Chico Buarque.
Wellington Paulo, who arrived at the Coral in the first semester of 2026, explained the proposal of the new repertoire. “I sought to create a repertoire that brought popular songs without any trace of vulgarity, as well as a technical refinement that would not be inaccessible to the general public. I believe that with this performance, with the brilliant effort of each coralist and the indispensable help of Flávia Carvalho, I succeeded. I am determined in my decision to bring the university coral closer to the Valadarense society.”
The event organizers also highlighted the participation of UFJF-GV. Stela Oliveira Gomes, who led the fair, thanked UFJF-GV. "Your participation was very important. The Coral's performance was flawless and closed the event on a high note," she wrote.