This year, International Museum Day was dedicated to the theme of MUSEUMS FOR EDUCATION AND RESEARCH.

At the invitation of the Museum of Porto, Nova Acrópole Porto participated with a poetry and dance recital entitled UN AMOR INFINITO (An Infinite Love).

The event took place at Casa Marta Ortigão Sampaio, where a poetry recital was held on the theme of love and beauty, through the verses of the Persian poet Rumi, the 13^th century Sufi theologian and mystic. The poetry was accompanied by dances related to the theme, creating an atmosphere that enveloped the audience in its magic.

Rumi’s poetry has influenced not only Persian literature, but also the literary traditions of several languages: Ottoman Turkish, Chagatai, Urdu, Bengali and Pashto.

After Rumi’s death, his followers founded the Mevleví Sufi order, better known as the “Whirling Dervishes”, due to the fact that they perform a moving meditation called “semá”, where men (and nowadays, women) spin in circles to the accompaniment of flutes and drums.