Flamengo stories in books and at the museum. A perfect combination. Flamengo writers gathered at the Flamengo Museum, located in Gávea, for the 1st Flamengo Literary Meeting. The event, organized jointly by the Vice-Presidency of Historical Heritage and the Vice-Presidency of Embassies and Consulates, was suggested by Luiz Hélio, known as Hélio Poeta, of the Flamengo Embassy in Juazeiro, Bahia, and took place last Friday, November 24th.

 

"Regarding this 1st Literary Meeting, what we noticed during the event was the following: the fact that we held it inside the Flamengo Museum, with this realistic setting—it wasn't a stage set up for the event—created a very conducive atmosphere for people to discuss. So, with the setting there, everything brought to mind the glories of Flamengo, its achievements, and everything else. The writers were very enthusiastic," said Luís Fernando Fadigas de Almeida, Vice President of Historical Heritage.

The event began with a book fair at the Club's main entrance. Several authors were able to exhibit and sell their works to the large number of lovers of Flamengo literature who were present in Gávea. A book was even launched at the event: "Os Flarofeiros," by Rinaldo Raposo Ribeiro.

After the fair, attendees headed inside the Flamengo Museum, where a fun discussion filled with interesting stories and anecdotes took place. The panel was moderated by journalist Sergio du Bocage and featured writers Arthur Muhlenberg, Marcelo Abinader, Carol Malachine, and Maurício Neves de Jesus. Also in attendance were the Grand Benefactor Walter Oaquim and former President Luiz Augusto Veloso.

Each participant spoke a little about their work, their views on Flamengo literature, and even about future projects. After all, there's still much history to be written, and it can be told every year at the Flamengo Museum, as the Flamengo Literary Meeting will be part of the Club's annual calendar of activities. The news was announced by vice-presidents Luís Fernando Fadigas de Almeida (Historical Heritage) and Maurício Gomes de Mattos (Embassies and Consulates).

"It was a remarkable experience that demonstrates the importance of literature, of Flamengo authors interacting with members and fans. We'll repeat it every year. It was a very meaningful experience for us. Culture is a motto we must commit to, disseminate, and instill in our society. Flamengo is always open to this. It's a premise of being an extremely popular club, but also seeking integration with its cultural side, and this literary side is a very significant part for us. Flamengo holds this literary gathering once a year. It was a success, and it was held at the Flamengo Museum," said Maurício Gomes de Mattos.

Check out what participants thought of the 1st Red-Black Literary Meeting:

"It's a huge emotion, words can't express my gratitude for the club I learned to love as a child. I think I was born a Flamengo fan. This is the great truth. Heaven gave me the mission to talk about this wonderful club as soon as I was young, because I've always been a poet, a writer too. Last Friday, I finally realized my dream of writing about Clube de Regatas do Flamengo. The book "Os Flarofeiros" symbolizes all the fans' feelings for this giant club that is Flamengo. I feel very honored to be leading this project, which will eventually become a series, including on Netflix. I'm still absorbing this positive moment of having it launched there in Gávea. Don't think it's a small emotion, it's truly immense. So, for me, it was a huge joy, immeasurable, to be able to launch this work there at the club I love so much."

Rinaldo Raposo Ribeiro, who launched the book “Os Flarofeiros”, at the 1st Rubro-Negro Literary Meeting.

"Flamengo's initiative is commendable and rewards those who have made their love for the club a contribution to culture, not only in sports but also in many other areas. Furthermore, it will certainly encourage other Flamengo fans to join in this journey. It was an honor for me to be part of this unprecedented moment in the club's history, especially within the Flamengo Museum, and to be able to contribute to the promotion of new cultural activities by the Mais Querido. We left the event with several proposals for the club and with the expectation that future meetings will be larger and more comprehensive, demonstrating the diversity that has always made Flamengo a club unlike any other."

Sérgio du Bocage, journalist and debate moderator.

"The 1st Rubro-Negro Literary Meeting was an absolute success. I thought the initiative was very important. Flamengo promoting a gathering of people is something that is part of its history as well. And that was really cool. And it wasn't just among writers, but among readers, people who had followed each other on social media for years and had never met in person. This kind of thing that Flamengo provides is unique. That was a really cool part. The other part, which really struck me, was the pride of seeing how Flamengo has organized itself in this area of ​​preserving historical material, its history, the museum, which is amazing. The Historical Heritage department is well-reinforced, comes with good ideas, and a wonderful idea emerged during the discussion about creating a Flamengo library. I think it's essential. I've been thinking about this for a long time, and it was great to hear from official sources that it's been planned, thought out, and desired, whatever it is. The meeting itself, talking about books, was really cool; we saw how diverse this rubro-negro universe of authors is; there are authors of all kinds. There are people who goes to chronicles, others to research, others to more technical matters, others to memory, to history. It was really cool to see so many works together and find interested red-and-blacks."

Arthur Muhlenberg, author of several books about Flamengo, including "Hexagerado, the most anticipated title of the last 17 years"; "Heptacular, the magical year of Flamengo" and "Libertador: the Red-black reconquest of America".

"I felt extremely honored; it was a spectacular event. Three basic reasons made me so happy to have participated. First, the fact that it was within the Clube de Regatas do Flamengo (Flamengo Regatta Club). Any event within one's favorite club is fantastic, especially when it's Flamengo. Knowing that Flamengo values ​​the people who do their work for it is really cool. Second, being there with other writers, who were already writers before I wrote my first book, other new writers are just starting their careers, and they're all my colleagues. And third, being inside the Museum, which is a spectacular place I've been to a few times, and where I plan to return one day alone to stay for a long time, to see each attraction, to slowly enjoy it. So for these three reasons, I found it very, very special."

Marcelo Abinader, author of the book “A journey to 1912 - the emergence of Flamengo football”.

"It's very important for a club as giant as Flamengo to have events that promote culture within the club itself. And this first literary event was a fantastic exchange between several authors and for people to also get to know Flamengo's literature, the history of Flamengo told through different perspectives, as each one tells the story of their own Flamengo. As an author, it was really cool to participate in this event, meeting other writers, other Flamengo fans, and it was a truly fantastic experience."

Carol Malanchine, author of the book Manto Sagrado.

"This event can be defined in one word: historic. Because it was the first, because of the setting in which it took place. We held a meeting of Flamengo writers inside the Flamengo Museum, which has a very strong symbolism. But more than symbolic, it demonstrates a new moment for Flamengo in relation to its history, in the care it takes for its history. I'm sure it was just the first due to the impact it had. We will have others, and may it point to new and better ways of telling the club's story."

Maurício Neves de Jesus, author of several books about Flamengo, including “Me arrebata: Epopeias rubro-negros”, “Maestro” and “1981, the first year of the rest of our lives”