Reading today’s word or when reading becomes dialogue

Abstract

The world needs to be read and interpreted with a triple purpose. Firstly, by diachronically and synchronically contributing to a greater knowledge of its everyday realities. Secondly, by activating processes of change. Thus, enabling us to transform it, by emphasising values and initiatives which are congruent with human development along with respect for life in all its diversity and complexity. Finally, to promote educational practices in which reading is part of its teaching thereby democratizing knowledges and learnings. Assuming that there is neither meaningful education nor education of the senses without reading, this paper builds its discourse on a double perspective. The one invoking – beyond praising and asserting – the value of words and the reading act itself as a training activity containing broad pedagogical and social road. And the one offering a part of the answers given by means of a collective inquiry carried out by people of different scientific, academic and professional profiles so as to respond to one particular question: What does reading the world today mean? This question converges with the Galician reading forum "Ler o mundo hoxe…" which commenced at the University of Santiago de Compostela, enjoying the support of the Network of Reading Universities, as a time and space for people to dedicate themselves to listening, reading and to dialogue.