The Council of Trofa operates the Trofa Lusophony Competition, an initiative supported by Camões, I.P. designed to promote children's literature. The aim of the competition is to "discover Portuguese language writers" and "encourage habits of reading and creative writing" with entries open to writers from Portugal, Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, East Timor, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique and São Tomé and PrÃncipe.
The text should be unpublished and not exceed fifteen pages, with or without illustrations. Writers can compete for the following prizes; the Matilde Rosa Araújo Prize for the best story and the Lusophone Prize, also for the best story, submitted by any writer from each of the above countries who hasn’t previously taken part in the competition.
In the illustration category, entrants must send a minimum of three and a maximum of five illustrations in the style of As Fadas Verdes by Matilde Rosa Araujo, according to the rules of the competition. Furthermore, the winner of the Illustration Prize might also be invited to illustrate the winning story of the Matilde Rosa Araujo Prize.
Entries must be delivered to the Casa da Cultura in Trofa or sent by registered mail addressed to: Vereador da Cultura, Câmara Municipal da Trofa, EdifÃcio Sede, Pólo I, Rua das Indústrias, 393, Apartado 65, 4785-624 Trofa.
The Portuguese Cultural Centres/Camões, I.P, along with their respective offices throughout the Portuguese-speaking countries, receive the other competition entries. All stories are then forwarded to a pre-selection panel at the Council of Trofa.
In November each year, the winners are announced and the prizes are handed out. The Council of Trofa then publishes the winning story at the annual Book Fair and the Encontro Lusófono de Literatura Infanto-juvenil, a young person’s literary event.
Learn more about the Rules of the Competition (Portuguese)