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Event 24
Reading of own and other people's poems
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Torreón de Lozoya (entrada por la Calle Grabador Espinoza)
A new edition of Own and Others, a series of read-aloud readings now in its 17th year. The Torreón de Lozoya is one of the most iconic buildings in the city — a fortified tower-house, a type that was very common in Segovia between the 13th and 15th centuries. It is a palatial complex with two towers, a courtyard, and a garden with a fortified gallery. Carlos Aganzo, Guillermo de'Medici, Marian Hens, Carlos Hernández-Lahoz, Fernando R. La Fuente, Momtaza Mehri, Ainhoa Sánchez, Javier Velaza, Cristina Ward and Beltrán Gambierwill read their own texts or those of their favourite poets.
José Félix Valdivieso, poet and self-confessed lover of languages and language, will be joining the readings as master of ceremonies.
Event with readings in Spanish, Dutch and English
Price: €9.00 (EUR)
Co-organized with the Torreón de Lozoya Foundation of the Caja Segovia Foundation and the collaboration of Acción Cultural Española, AC/E
Rob Riemen in conversation with Jesús García Calero
Rescuing European Humanism
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IE University. Sala Capitular
Rob Riemen (Netherlands) is an essayist, philosopher and director of the Nexus Institute, through which he aims to generate spaces for debate and keep alive the principles of European humanism. He is the author of books such as Nobility of Spirit and The Art of Being Human. He believes that Europe is at a complex crossroads. One that has to do with the loss of memory of the principles of duty, freedom, justice and even love for others. There are no magic formulas, but Riemen appeals to the 'nobility of spirit' to return to the democratic ideal; and he proposes to do so through philosophers —both classical and contemporary— and leading intellectuals such as Thomas Mann and Albert Camus.
He will talk about all this with Jesús García Calero, director of ABC Cultural. He specialises in heritage information and dissemination.
The event will be presented by Hannah Schmidt, Cultural Attaché of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Spain.
At the end of the event, the author will sign copies of his books
Event in English with simultaneous interpretation into Spanish
Price: €9.00 (EUR)
Co-organised with the Embassy of the Netherlands in Spain and Penguin Radmon House Grupo Editorial and the collaboration of the ABC newspaper
William Chislett, Marta Rebón and Uta Staiger talk to Debbi Christophers
The foreign gaze: Writing Here and There
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Biblioteca Municipal Casa de la Lectura
What happens when we see ourselves as others see us? How does the place we are in influence the content of our writing and the way we write? What challenges do authors face when writing about a city, a country or in a language that is not their own? To discuss these questions, we will take as our starting point the literary map offered by the exhibition Lost & Found, organised by University College London, which explores London through the eyes of European writers, and The Curious Impertinents, the new book by William Chislett, about how two centuries of travel writing by British authors have shaped the image of Spain abroad.
He will be joined by Marta Rebón, writer and literary translator who has won awards for her versions of Vasili Grossman's Life and Fate and Georgy Vladimov's The Faithful Ruslan. Uta Staiger,who has co-organised Lost & Found. A European Literary Map of London; and Debbi Christophers, Cultural Attache at the British Embassy, Madrid, who will be moderating the event.
Concert by the Symphony Orchestra and Big Band of the British School of Madrid
From Classicism to Jazz
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Teatro Juan Bravo
The Symphony Orchestra and Big Band of the British School of Madrid are made up of students, Music21 programme teachers, alumni, and parents from the School who come together to share their passion for making music as an ensemble. Their repertoire ranges from classical works to contemporary and popular music, including film scores and jazz.
The British School of Madrid is firmly committed to musical development—not only for the artistic achievements it fosters, but also for the values cultivated through the shared challenges of teamwork: loyalty, dedication, flexibility, resilience, and care for others.
Price: €9.00 (EUR)
Coorganized with the Colegio Británico and the collaboration of Diputación de Segovia and Teatro Juan Bravo
Paul Preston in conversation with María José Ferrari
Challenges of History
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IE University. Aula Magna
Paul Preston is a prominent British historian whose primary work focuses on contemporary Spanish history, particularly the Second Republic and the Civil War. He has written numerous books on this subject, which have achieved high sales, although many of them have been controversial and criticized by other authors. A strong advocate for Europe, he has always lamented the limited support the Spanish Republic received from Western democracies during the Civil War. His last work is The Perfidious Albion: The Contradictory Role of Britain in the Spanish Civil War.
He will discuss his work, as well as the past and present of Europe and Spain, with María José Ferrari, Professor and Director of the Chair of Hispanic Cultures at IE University.
At the end of the event, the author will sign copies of his books
Event in Spanish
Price: €9.00 (EUR)
Co-organised with Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial and in collaboration with IE School of Humanities and the UK Embassy in Spain
The opinion column has been the most characteristic genre of Spanish journalism, with a strong creative imprint and a long history with its own chapter in the history of literature, from Larra to Gistau, passing through Cavia, Camba, Pla, Ruano, Alcántara and Umbral. With the fragmentation of the digital ecosystem, the number of columnists has multiplied and their impact has diminished. They are barely mentioned in public conversation beyond morning press reviews on the radio. The genre retains a great reputation... but what about readers? Let's talk about this uncomfortable paradox.
Journalist and writer Teodoro León Gross will talk to some leading journalists, whose names will be revealed shortly.
Javier Moreno and Andrea Rizzi in conversation with Laura Ventura
Emergency Geopolitics
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Biblioteca Municipal Casa de la Lectura
What are the limits of democratic power and its weaknesses when faced with other forms of power that operate outside the bounds of legality? The Western world is immersed in deep uncertainty, caused in part by the errors of its own leaders—as in the case of Latin America—and in part by geopolitical challenges from countries such as Russia and China. These tensions are contributing to a rise in violence and populism, the latter often fuelled by the discontent of the most disadvantaged social classes.
These topics will be explored in conversation by Javier Moreno and Andrea Rizzi. Moreno has recently published ¿Quién manda aquí? (Who’s in Charge Here?), a reflection on powerlessness in the face of growing violence in Latin America, where he interviews seven former presidents to understand why so many of their promises went unfulfilled and why legitimate power is losing ground. Andrea Rizzi is a Global Affairs correspondent and columnist for El País. He recently published La era de la revancha (The Age of Revenge), an analysis of the disruption facing Western structures and the dangers posed by challenges that fall outside democratic and legal frameworks.
The conversation will be moderated by Laura Ventura, PhD in Hispanic Philology and professor of Literature at Carlos III University in Madrid. She is also a contributor to La Nación (Argentina).
The authors will sign copies of their books at the end of the event
Event in Spanish
Price: €9.00 (EUR)
With the collaboration of the publishing house Anagrama and El País newspaper
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Biblioteca Municipal de Segovia Casa de la Lectura
Writer Carmen Posadas claims to have seen it all. With a rich literary trajectory spanning genres and themes, her stories often revolve around dazzling and dramatic pasts, far-off travels, and grounded characters who confront reality. Her latest novel, misterioso caso del impostor del Titanic (The Mysterious Case of the Titanic Impostor), takes inspiration from a real-life figure —Emilia Pardo Bazán— to craft an unexpected journey through New York and Cuba in the days following the sinking of the Titanic.
Posadas will speak with Ana Gavín, Director of Editorial Relations at Grupo Planeta.
At the end of the event, the author will sign copies of her books
A thoughtful dialogue between two seasoned writers on our environment, the dramatic changes taking place, in Europe in particular, and what the future holds, if indeed anything can be predicted. Canary Islander Juan Cruz, man of the periphery, where different cultures converge, and Manuel Rivas, a Galician who embraces his homeland in order to better understand others, will discuss how literature can confront and allay all this uncertainty.
Cruz has just published Secreto y pasión de la literatura, a "luminous and passionate" portrait of great contemporary authors such as Mario Vargas Llosa, Gabriel García-Márquez, Jorge Semprún and Jorge Luis Borges.
There will be a book signing after the event.
Event in Spanish
Price: €9.00 (EUR)
Co-organised with Grupo Planeta and the collaboration of Acción Cultural Española, AC/E and Fundación Torreón de Lozoya of Fundación Caja Segovia
Friends No More? The US, Europe, and the End of a Transatlantic Era
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IE University. Aula Magna
For decades, the transatlantic relationship has been a cornerstone of Western stability —an alliance forged in shared values and strategic interests. Yet, recently, the ties that once bound Europe and the United States have begun to fray. Diverging political priorities, cultural misunderstandings, and shifts in global power have cast doubt on the strength —and future— of this historic partnership.
Is the Atlantic no longer a shared horizon, but a widening gulf? Are Europe and the US still speaking the same language? Or has a quiet separation already taken place?
This FT Weekend Debate brings together distinguished voices from both sides of the Atlantic to explore what has changed —and what may yet be salvaged. In conversation with Frederick Studemann, Literary Editor of the Financial Times, they will examine whether the transatlantic friendship is undergoing a necessary evolution or an irreversible divorce.
Event in English with simultaneous interpretation into Spanish
Maria de Medeiros and Marcelo Rubens Paiva talk to Iôna de Macêdo
Never Again
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IE University. Aula Magna
Rubens Paiva, a Brazilian congressman and staunch opponent of his country's dictatorship, was arrested and disappeared in 1971. Only 40 years later, thanks to the efforts of his wife, Eunice, was it confirmed that he had been tortured and murdered by military forces.
Decades later, his son, the writer, playwright and journalist Marcelo Rubens Paiva, captured this experience in Ainda Estou Aqui ('I'm Still Here'), a memoir that intertwines the Paiva family history after the father's disappearance with Brazilian politics in the last decades of the 20th century. The work was adapted for the cinema by director Walter Salles Jr. and, in 2025, the film won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
Paiva will talk with Portuguese actress, director and singer Maria de Medeiros, whose artistic career is defined by a deep commitment to historical memory and human rights. Moderated by Iôna de Macêdo, Vice Dean of IE University and expert in communication, audiovisual production and creative talent development. The event will be introduced by Catalina Tejero, Dean of IE School of Humanities.
Event in Portuguese with simultaneous interpretation into Spanish
Price: €9.00 (EUR)
Organised together with IE Foundation and the Brazilian Embassy in Spain
Alfonso Alegre Heitzmann in conversation with Félix Losada Vieira
Poetry, threshold of the world
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Torreón de Lozoya
From the poetic roots of his latest book, Hueso en astilla, Alfonso Alegre Heitzmann talks to Félix Losada Vieira about writing as a form of attention, the word as threshold, silence as origin. Poetry as a place of presence: a way of being in the world that does not seek to represent, but to reveal. A conversation that crosses the arts, mysticism and the poetic memory of an author who has known how to listen to the world from its deepest breath.
At the end of the event, the author will sign copies of his books.
Event in Spanish
Price: €9.00 (EUR)
With the support of Acción Cultural Española, AC/E
Mário Roque and Lorenzo de’ Medici in conversation
The Great Art Dealers
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IE University. Sala Capitular
The world of art and antiques —its creative process, the interest of collectors, and the unpredictable journeys of artworks— forms a kaleidoscopic universe full of possibilities, though not without risk. At its center stands the figure of the art dealer, capable of elevating forgotten pieces and, above all, sharing a passion for objects that carry fragments of our past.
Portuguese dealer Mário Roque has been doing exactly that for years. He left a career in cardiology to dedicate himself to antiques, founding São Roque Antiguidades e Galeria de Arte, a gallery with a strong focus on Portuguese art from the Age of Discoveries. Roque is a regular at major international events and collaborates with numerous museums and institutions, loaning works for both national and international exhibitions. Roque’s expertise has inspired a new generation of young art dealers from around the world, turning him into a reference point and mentor in the field.
He will be joined by Lorenzo de’ Medici, a descendant of the iconic Medici family — one of the most renowned names in European collecting, from the Renaissance to the present day. The conversation will be introduced by the ambassador of Portugal, the honourable Don Jose Augusto Duarte.
Event in French with simultaneous interpretation into Spanish
Price: €9.00 (EUR)
With the collaboration of Embassy of Portugal in Spain
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Biblioteca Municipal de Segovia Casa de la Lectura
In just a few years, the world’s major cities have become real states, with increasingly difficult challenges to resolve, from mobility and environmental sustainability to water issues and the confrontation between great wealth and great poverty. This process has its collateral effects in countries like Spain, where depopulation is pushing many territories, far from the central almonds of large cities, to the brink of human extinction. A dialectic whose answers are only held by the large conurbations, where a future is drawn in which humanism and humanity itself are not easily preserved.
Ángel Cárdenas, manager of Urban Development, Water, and Creative Economies at the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), and one of the leading experts on urban development, water, and creative economies, will have a conversation with writer and journalist Carlos Aganzo about the uncertainties of the present and the great challenges of the future.
Event in Spanish
Price: €9.00 (EUR)
Co-organised with CAF (Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean) and the collaboration of the newspaper El Norte de Castilla
Arancha González Laya in conversation with Inmaculada Ballesteros
Soft Power
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Biblioteca Municipal de Segovia Casa de la Lectura
For centuries, traditional diplomacy has designed international relations by seeking consensus or defusing conflicts. However, in such turbulent times, new ways emerge, such as soft policy (soft power), which chooses culture as an instrument to influence with solid arguments that generate empathy between people and their societies. This will be the subject of a dialogue between Arancha González Laya and Inmaculada Ballesteros.
González Laya is Dean of the Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA) at Sciences Po. She was Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain (2020-2021). She was previously under-secretary-general of the United Nations (UN) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) from 2013 to 2019.
Inmaculada Ballesteros is an expert in cultural policy, institutional relations and digital transition. She advises national and international organisations and is director of Programming at Acción Cultural Española (AC/E), a key player in Spain's cultural development and promotion around the world.
Event in Spanish
Price: €9.00 (EUR)
With the support of Acción Cultural Española, AC/E
Carlos del Amoris arguably the most recognizable face of cultural journalism in Spain. His reports, carefully balanced between passion and the pursuit of the perfect headline, hit the mark with remarkable precision, consistently capturing the viewer's attention. A joyful rara avis, perhaps — a true dabbler in life — he will engage in conversation with Pedro Zuazua to reflect on their work, influences, and upcoming projects.
Del Amor’s reputation for journalistic excellence is backed by international recognition, including awards for his documentary Revealing Dalí. He made his literary debut in 2013 with the short story collection Life, Sometimes (La vida a veces) and this year he has published Una dama desconocida, a detective-style tale about a mysterious woman supposedly painted by Velázquez.
At the end of the event, the author will sign copies of his books
Event in Spanish
Price: €9.00 (EUR)
Co-organised with Grupo Planeta and Fundación Torreón de Lozoya of Fundación Caja Segovia and the support of Acción Cultural Española, AC/E
Fabio Corsico, A.C. Grayling and Santiago Iñiguez with Anna Bosch
Dante and Leadership: Ethics, Power and Humanity
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IE University. Aula Magna
What can Dante teach us about leadership and the human condition in the 21st century? This conversation features British philosopher A.C. Grayling, founder of the New College of the Humanities and author of over 30 books on ethics and reason; Santiago Iñiguez, president of IE University and a leading global voice in higher education and author of Dante in the Workplace; and Fabio Corsico, an Italian essayist and executive known for his work at the intersection of power, culture, and economics.
From philosophical ethics to corporate leadership and strategic decision-making, the speakers will explore the enduring relevance of Dante’s thought in today’s world. Moderated by Anna Bosch, a leading international journalist at TVE and former correspondent in London and Washington.
At the end of the event, the author will sign copies of his books
Event in English with simultaneous interpretation into Spanish
In a Europe marked by uncertainty, populism, and a future too complex to calmly plan for, culture can give us the resilience we need. Because culture is another form of politics—it creates spaces for dialogue and helps us understand "the other." Where there is culture, there is always hope. This is how Teresa Grøtan, director of the Bergen International Literary Festival, sees it. A journalist and writer, she has published several books, the most recent being Før øya synker. She will speak with Miquel Molina, deputy editor of La Vanguardia and writer.
At the end of the event, the author will sign copies of her books
Event in english with simultaneous interpretation into Spanish
Price: €9.00 (EUR)
In collaboration with Bergen International Festival and the Royal Embassy of Norway in Spain
Javier Velaza in conversation with Jesús García Calero
Loewe Prize 2024
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Torreón de Lozoya
Javier Velaza, the winner of the 37th edition of the Loewe Poetry Prize for his work Las ignorancias (The Ignorances), explores the consciously ignorant nature of humans and attempts to construct an ethical and aesthetic commitment from there. As Jaime Siles has written, "this book overflows with classical and vital wisdom, bringing the value and meaning of the everyday into focus." He will have a conversation about his influences and career with Jesús García Calero, director of ABC Cultural.
At the end of the event, the author will sign copies of his books
Event in Spanish
Price: €9.00 (EUR)
Co-organized with the Loewe Foundation and Fundación Torreón de Lozoya of Caja Segovia Foundation
Dolores Redondo in conversation with Laura Ventura
Unearthing secrets
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IE University. Aula Magna
Dolores Redondo is the author of the Baztán Trilogy, a true literary phenomenon. The three novels—, The Legacy of the Bones, and Offering to the Storm—have reached over three million readers, and all three were successfully adapted into films between 2017 and 2020. The trilogy was followed by All This I Will Give to You (Todo esto te daré), winner of the 2016 Planeta Prize and the award’s best-selling novel in recent years. Her most recent work is Las que no duermen NASH.
Her novels delve into a world of tradition where buried secrets emerge from the folds of evil and human contradiction. She will be in conversation with Laura Ventura, PhD in Hispanic Philology and professor of Literature at Universidad Carlos III. Ventura is also a contributor to the Argentine newspaper La Nación.
At the end of the event, the author will sign copies of her books
