this Frankfurt Book Fair (Germany) opened this afternoon with VI. Philip Y Letizia as godfather. The King organized his state visit to Germany to coincide with his official visit to Germany. festival Literature world’s most important and that Spain is the guest of honor in this edition.
In his opening speeches from the director of the fair, Juergen Boos, and the President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier to the Prime Minister of the state of Hessen, Boris Rhein, he emphasized: The imagination and potential of Spanish writers. “There is one thing I can guarantee to guests from Spain: Germany, as a reading country, is curious about the experiences that Spanish authors convey in their books (…) How do you see global issues from Spain? They can give us a new world. German President Steinmeier,” said . “What happened here is so important to the exchanges that the King and Queen have given themselves the honor of being here,” continued Felipe VI and Letizia as they listened to him in the front row.
The slogan chosen by Spain is ‘Creativity overflow’. to exhibit literature in the next four days at a fair where 80% of the transactions made in rights purchases for the whole year will be discussed. Steinmeier also took the opportunity to talk about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and warned that “without hateful pamphlets and books, there would be no war.”
The monarch thanked Spain for playing a “heroic” role in this year’s edition and reminded that the country is the guest of honor for the second time. It was in 1991, but he said it “has little to do with the country at the time”. with what has happened from then on”. unprecedented transformation and modernization It has caused radical changes in society, culture and economy, especially since our country’s accession to the European Communities in 1986. The dissemination and exchange of information… In fact, this figure is honored with the motto of Frankfurt Fair 2022: “Turn. Movement. convert”.
women writers
The 1991 edition was also remembered by Antonio Muñoz Molina, who spoke as officially as Irene Vallejo at the opening. One of the biggest differences from this year’s fair, the author says, invasion of women. “They are the majority of the reading public, and they are now starting to own the corresponding entity,” he said.
Celebrating his existence with Steinmeier having “written a fascinating book on the importance of books” (‘Infinity in a Junco’), Vallejo focused on translators: “As José Saramago writes, writers make literature while translators build universal literature”.
The note that Catalan Silvia Pérez Cruz put on the guitar was also included in the ceremony. After the opening, the King and Queen and their circle of German officials, ministers, writers and artists visited the Spanish Pavilion of the fair.