Chile’s former president Ricardo Lagos spoke at length about a landmark moment for the Guadalajara International Book Fair (FIL). After 36 years, the event welcomed the entire continent as guests, a milestone announced in the closing issue of the year. In Guadalajara, Mexico, the fair’s traditional home, the European Union will take the spotlight next year as a metaphor for a rich cultural heritage in motion.
The path forward for FIL is a careful, collaborative effort between authorities on both sides of the Atlantic. Each year the fair seeks to unite diverse countries or regions through literature and the arts, highlighting a variety of approaches to life and storytelling from the Arab world and beyond. Lagos emphasized Latin America’s status as a cultural asset and noted that the EU’s involvement marks a new chapter in the region’s cultural exchange. His remarks were echoed in discussions presenting a book of ideas on the future of Latin America, including themes from interviews with Jorge Castañeda and Héctor Aguilar Camín.
President of the fair, Raúl Padilla, has been engaging with European officials to turn this moment into a turning point in the evolving cultural relationship between Europe and the United States. The current FIL marks the first in-person edition since the pandemic paused gatherings three years ago, making it the most significant literary event in the Spanish-speaking world. FIL director Marisol Schultz shared that the pandemic did not erase momentum; it reshaped it. When Covid disrupted events in March 2020, many book fairs paused. Cities like London, Buenos Aires, and Bogotá faced cancellations, while FIL and its peers formed a kind of Fair Managers Club in Frankfurt to consider new possibilities as the crisis unfolded.
The crisis eventually shifted toward resilience. Epidemiologists from the University of Guadalajara helped determine a path through the hardest days, guiding FIL to a hybrid format that blends physical presence with online access. In 2021 the fair offered three hundred high-quality events to global audiences, reaching 28 million people across 81 countries. The shift enabled participation from places that had not previously known FIL. It was a year of extraordinary change, as the festival began to embrace hybrid models that balanced live experiences with virtual access.
Looking ahead, the organizers note a strengthened edition built on what audiences crave: direct human connection. Readers enjoy meeting authors, exchanging ideas, and sharing moments in person. The experience is described as warmer, more personal than any screen experience can provide. Marisol Schultz described FIL as a space united with thinkers from Mexico and around the world, where content demand is rising and serious discussion about contemporary issues is central. Even programs for children are now part of the agenda, with attention turning to climate change as one of the day’s topics. A parent who has watched her children participate at FIL observed how the festival nurtures curiosity and learning, and expressed a hopeful wish to return year after year.
The 2024 edition highlighted Mircea Cărtărescu, the Romanian writer published in Spanish by Impedimenta, who received the Elephant Award during the event. Nicaraguan writer Sergio Ramírez delivered a powerful speech, marking a notable moment in exile literature. Adonis, the Syrian poet, drew large audiences with poems and reflections on life and history, underscoring FIL’s role as a gathering that honors voices from traditionally silenced regions.
Award presentations included José Saramago on his centennial and Carlos Fuentes in memoriam, a nod to the long history of the fair with Gabriel García Márquez. Elena Poniatowska and Rosa Montero shared new works with the crowd, with Montero signing copies for hundreds of readers. The atmosphere was festive and earnest, with attendees ranging from the vice president of Spain to local and international scholars expressing admiration for the fair’s mission. The event was not about politics; it was about community, culture, and the exchange of ideas across generations. FIL showcased a spectrum of ages, from children and students to scholars and scientists, all enthusiastic about books and learning. As one observer noted, after a period of hibernation, the fair is back and stronger than ever.
Future collaborations between Europe and FIL are framed as a gateway to a broader literary geography. Lagos congratulated the European presence in Guadalajara, calling it a symbol of a new Latin America connected with Europe and the United States, weaving together languages and literatures along two shores and a shared intellectual coastline.
the spanish look
In 2024 Spain steps in as guest country. Eva Orúe, director of the Madrid Book Fair, confirmed the ambitious scope of this challenge. She described FIL as the most significant event of its kind for Spanish-speaking audiences and for the global publishing community. The hybrid format remains a core feature, welcoming professionals, agents, librarians, distributors, and booksellers while opening to the public with author talks, discussions, and book tables. Because the fair is organized with the University of Guadalajara, hundreds of students joined and contributed to the event, highlighting its educational impact.
Spain’s first year as guest is seen as a potential reflection of this European voyage. While there are major fairs across the country, the path chosen for FIL stands apart, suggesting that parallels or direct competition would miss the point. The current guest status for Europe will accelerate FIL’s pace and could deepen Europe’s connection with the global publishing industry. Lagos expressed joy at this development, describing it as a pivotal moment for a shared cultural future that binds Europe and the Americas through a common literary identity.