‘Cuentos Rodantes’ reading initiative kicks off today at Universidad train station

By The Star Staff

The Integrated Transportation Authority (ATI by its initials in Spanish) announced on Monday the launch of the “Cuentos Rodantes” (Rolling Stories) initiative, a project designed by Manuel Frontera and the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón to promote reading and creativity among students and the community.

The Universidad Urban Train Station will be transformed today into a space themed around various stories written by Frontera. The writer himself will present and read his literary works to those present at 10 a.m. The platform, open to the public free of charge, seeks to offer young talents the opportunity to showcase their creations while promoting the value of literature as an essential part of academic and cultural education.

The Cuentos Rodantes initiative is based on the conviction that reading is a powerful tool for personal and collective well-being, in that it helps exercise memory, organize ideas, awaken the imagination and improve communication. Furthermore, studies show that reading just 10 minutes a day can reduce stress and lower the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.

The collaboration was born from the desire to increase access to literature by installing stories, poems, and short phrases in high-traffic spaces. The main objective is to turn the initiative into a cultural movement that transforms everyday spaces such as stations, airports, and hospitals into living platforms for literature, creating a future where reading is part of daily life.

“At ATI, we believe in the transformative power of education and culture,” ATI Executive Director Josué Menéndez Agosto said. “We want our stations to become centers of encounter, creativity, and growth for all.”

Frontera added: “Words, like trains, need rails to move forward. Sometimes those rails mark a narrower course than one would like. However, along the way, there are always guides who provide great professionalism [...].”

“For me, this journey means opening a space where Puerto Rican literature can be explored and spark an interest in reading,” he said.