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The British writer and actor will be the author of the opening speech on reading, promoted by the city’s library network and to be given at the Sala Moragues in El Born CCM on Monday, 22 April. This activity has been the institutional opener for Sant Jordi since 2003.

David Walliams joins the list of opening speakers who have featured in this honorary ceremony in Barcelona since 2003, and is the first children’s author to do so. Organised by the city’s library network, the activity has featured major literary figures as speakers: Quino, José Saramago, Martí de Riquer, Emili Teixidor, Antonio Tabucchi, Alessandro Baricco, Bernardo Atxaga, José Luis Sampedro, Josep Maria Castellet, Raimon, Albert Sánchez Piñol, Donna Leon, John Banville, Claudio Magris, Yasmina Reza, Almudena Grandes, Mia Couto, Empar Moliner, Irene Vallejo, Imma Monsó and, last year, Gemma Ruiz Palà.

David Walliams (London, 1971) combines his side as an actor with writing children’s novels. In 2013 he published his first children’s book Ratburger, starting a long series. He has published six novels, earning him public and critical acclaim, and is currently the UK’s best-selling children’s author: Walliams has sold more than 56 million copies of his books, which have been translated into 55 languages, with the media dubbing him the “Roald Dahl of the 21^st century”. Billionaire Boy, Bad Dad, The World’s Worst Children, The Slightly Annoying Elephant and Gangsta Granny (Atrapallibres Award 2021-2015) are among his best-known works.

The British author has also enjoyed success as a comedy actor in the series Little Britain and Rock Profile and has been a jury member on the TV contest Britain’s Got Talent.

Sant Jordi Dialogues 2024

Once again, as a prelude to Sant Jordi, Biblioteques de Barcelona are offering some session for readers to engage with writers, through discussions with authors from different places based on affinities to their latest works.

This year’s talks will be held at the Jaume Fuster, Gabriel García Márquez, Esquerra de l’Eixample – Agustí Centelles and Francesca Bonnemaison libraries, from 15 to 23 April.

Mircea Cartarescu
Monday, 15 April. Biblioteca Jaume Fuster

Andrea Genovart and Greta García
Tuesday, 16 April. Biblioteca Gabriel García Márquez

Lucía Lijtmaer and Rodrigo Fresán
Wednesday, 17 April. Biblioteca Esquerra de l’Eixample – Agustí Centelles

Henry Marsh
Thursday, 18 April. Biblioteca Jaume Fuster

Roser Vernet and Mar García Puig
Friday, 19 April. Biblioteca Francesca Bonnemaison

Sergi Pàmies and Carlota Gurt
Saturday, 20 April. Biblioteca Jaume Fuster

Hernán Díaz and Jordi Puntí
Sunday, 21 April. Biblioteca Jaume Fuster

Opening Speech on Reading 2024
David Walliams
Monday, 22 April. El Born Centre de Cultura i Memòria. Registration required: https://inscripcions.barcelona.cat/prego_santjordi_walliams-ca/

Joana Marcús
Tuesday, 23 April. Biblioteca Gabriel García Márquez

With the collaboration of: Lleonard Muntaner Editor, Editorial Anagrama, Editorial Tránsito, Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial, Ediciones Salamandra, Club Editor, Quaderns Crema, Grup 62 and Edicions del Periscopi.