Global Courant
“Each book that reaches the hands of a reader is a new seed, thus the sowing perpetuates and expands,” says Diana López, president of the International Book Fair in Guatemala (Filgua), on the website of the mega literary event. .
Under the metaphor of an immense tree that has managed to extend its branches to shelter thousands of readers, artists, children and young people, the International Book Fair in Guatemala will return this 2023 hoping to bring together different social groups with the purpose of stimulating reading and critical thinking.
From July 6 to 16, Filgua will take place in Fórum Majadas (zone 11 of the capital), where approximately 300 cultural activities will take place. They will also highlight a total of 80 editorial projects that will sell narrative, poetry, children’s literature, social essays, psychology, spirituality, and philosophy publications, among others.
In parallel, during the eleven days of the fair there will be book presentations, talks, workshops and contests open to the public. Children under the age of 12, adults over the age of 60 and students with ID will be able to access this party free of charge, where ideas made into words will be celebrated. General admission will cost Q.5.00.
This 2023 the book fair celebrates two decades, and the celebration period will coincide with the middle of the school season, unlike 2021 and 2022 when it was held in September and November, respectively.
“One of the lessons of the last two years was that we must work in school seasons if we want to meet our social goals of promoting reading among youth and children. This year it was not negotiable to change the date”, shares Diana López, current president of Filgua and of the Guatemalan Publishers Association (AGEG).
López shares that this public turns out to be very important for Filgua, due to the seedbed of cognitive possibilities that it implies. From this account, it is worth mentioning that during the school season it becomes easier for the organizers to coordinate visits and tours of schoolchildren to the fair.
Filgua 2023 will offer a variety of titles, and the majority will highlight social themes. (Free Press Photo: María Renée Barrientos)
At least during the last edition of the fair, in November 2022, 30,000 young people and children attended. Of these, 10 percent would have arrived from outside the capital, says the director of the AGEG.
In addition to promoting reading in youth and childhood, the proposal for the International Book Fair aims to generate a social liberation that, according to López, transcends politics or ideologies. “We are working on speeches that unite us as a society. We care about ensuring freedom of expression,” she shares.
For this place that protects thought to exist, its organizers have had to navigate complex bureaucratic and budgetary waters. According to the current director, until 2018 Filgua was only possible due to the funds provided by the exhibitors and the publishers involved.
However, based on negotiations, as well as dialogues with the Ministry of Culture and Sports and the Culture Commission of Congress, an attempt was made to institutionalize the fair as of 2018 and through a state budget that has exceeded one million quetzals annually.
11 days to immerse yourself in the world of ideas
As of July 6 of this year, Fórum Majadas will be activated with a rich program through the nearly 300 cultural activities of the International Book Fair of Guatemala.
The event will contemplate more than 90 book presentations, a number that, according to the director of Filgua, is above the average of past years when there were close to 70 per edition.
During the eleven days of the fair, 15 international authors from countries such as El Salvador, Mexico, Colombia and Brazil will participate.
It is worth mentioning that this year Filgua will have El Salvador as the Guest of Honor country, therefore, from its embassy an agenda is planned that will include book presentations, as well as dance presentations and gastronomic tastings.
Upon the arrival of the international authors of this edition, others from Guatemala will join, among them Dante Liano, to whom this Filgua will be dedicated.
80 editorial projects will have stands at Fórum Majadas during the fair. (Free Press Photo: María Renée Barrientos)
“He is a prolific author and one who has had an impact on letters,” says Diana López about the author, who will also be part of a conversation and tribute, as well as participate in reading clubs and conferences with members of national public libraries.
On the other hand, the visit of Miguel Ángel Asturias Amado, son of the Guatemalan Nobel Prize winner for Literature, will also be a participant in conversations around various book presentations.
Although the Filgua is distinguished by celebrating a classic form of literature, in this new edition there will be an opening to new virtual-narrative formats. The agenda will also include spaces for dialogue with the Mexican book-tuber Raiza Revelles, the gamer and youtuber Bobicraft.
On the other hand, there will also be workshops that will stimulate other artistic areas such as cover design, as well as book illustrations, taught by the Mexican Alejandro Magallanes. Magallanes will also participate in a conversation with Álvaro Sánchez called “What we illustrators keep silent about”.
Within the framework of the fair’s activities, the eighth National Public Library Competition will also be sought, where a library project that seeks to promote community development and bring more people closer to reading will be awarded.
As if the options were few, Filgua will carry out Book Night for a consecutive year, a day that from 6:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. on July 14 will have offers on book sales, as well as They will offer a series of activities such as book presentations, story sleepovers, conversations and musical presentations.
If you want to know more about the activities of the international fair, you can access the event networks such as: Facebook, instagram, Youtube and TikTok.
