Lula signs law establishing 2024 as the "National Fernando Sabino Year"
The initiative honoring the writer from Minas Gerais was formalized through the publication of Law No. 14.794 in the Official Gazette of the Union (DOU) this Monday.
247 - President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has signed into law the bill that establishes 2024 as the "National Year of Fernando Sabino." The measure aims to celebrate and recognize the author's significant contribution to Brazilian literature, especially during the third phase of modernism, also known as postmodernism.
The initiative was formalized through the publication of Law No. 14.794 in the Official Gazette of the Union (DOU) this Monday, January 8th. The text highlights the importance of Fernando Sabino, whose best-known books, "O encontro marcado" and "O grande mentecapto," have become icons of national literature.
Born in October 1923, the writer from Minas Gerais passed away in October 2004, marking 20 years since his death this year. The rapporteur of the project in the Senate and president of the House, Rodrigo Pacheco (MDB-MG), praised Sabino's mastery of prose, describing his writing as an "eloquent simplicity" capable of revealing the complexity of human relationships.
The project originally proposed 2023 as the year for the celebration, but due to delays, it only reached the Senate at the end of 2023. The new legislation offers the possibility of issuing a commemorative stamp referring to the centenary of Fernando Sabino's birth, at the discretion of the competent authority.
Fernando Sabino's multifaceted career was also remembered at the event. In addition to his remarkable literary output, Sabino was a talented swimmer in his youth, achieving records, including the South American backstroke championship in 1939. He studied law, worked as a journalist and editor, and throughout his career, published around 50 works.
Highlighting his versatility, in 1991, Sabino published "Zélia, uma paixão" (Zélia, a Passion), a biography of the Minister of Economy in Fernando Collor's government. His work was recognized with two Jabuti Prizes, in 1980 for "O grande mentecapto" (The Great Simpleton), and in 2002 for "Livro Aberto" (Open Book). Additionally, he received the Machado de Assis Prize from the Brazilian Academy of Letters (ABL) for his body of work in 1999.