From 25 November until 3 December the European Union was guest of honour at the 37th edition of the Guadalajara International Book Fair, the largest book fair in the Americas and second-largest book fair in the world. 2200 publishing houses representing 49 countries were present at this year’s edition.

With a 1300 m² pavilion, designed by a Barcelona-based architecture studio and under the slogan « Building a Union of Cultures », the EU presented the European cultural diversity and contemporary creative dynamics with a rich programme for the public and professionals from the book sector generating new spaces for collaboration and dialogue.

For the EU’s literary programme more than 70 writers from the EU’s 27 countries and from Ukraine participated. The authors Nathalie Ronvaux and Jean Portante represented the delegation from Luxembourg. Both authors participated in several readings and roundtables on various topics in exchange with other European authors like Pascal Quignard, Elena Alexieva or Colm Tóibín. Jean Portante, well known in Latin America for his translations into French of Latin American poets and also himself being translated and published in Spanish, notably in Mexico, also presented at the Guadalajara International Book Fair the bilingual edition Diario De Un Olvadaor Íntimo Y Otros Poemas, published by the Mexican publishing house Mantis Editores, and Mrs Haroy y la memoria de la ballena, published by the Mexican publishing house La Otra and the Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa. Both publications received a publishing support by Kultur | lx. Outside of the Guadalajara Book Fair, Luxembourg literature was also present at the Fiesta Literaria 2023 at the Patán Ale House in Guadalajara. Together with the Colombian poet Felipe García Quintero Jean Portante read from and talked about Diario De Un Olvidador Íntimo Y Otros Poemas.

The Luxembourg music sector also participated in the EU’s artistic programme. The opening concert on 25 November was given by the European Union Youth Orchestra, with the participation of the young Luxembourg trumpeter Philippe Neumann and accompanied by 40 young Mexican musicians. In the „Añoranza“ concert on 29 November pianist Francesco Tristano played together with the French-Lebanese pianist Rami Khalifé.

For the Guadalajara International Book Fair, Luvina, the literary magazine of the University of Guadalajara, published a new book about the literatures of the European Union which also highlights some poems by Nathalie Ronvaux and Jean Portante in Spanish translation. The Guadalajara International Book Fair created a dialogue and exchange plateform between European writers, artists, professionals from the book sector and Latin Amercian authors, artists as well as professionals from the book sector.

From 25 November to 3 December, the European Union will be guest of honour at the Guadalajara International Book Fair, the biggest literary event in the Spanish-speaking world. Nathalie Ronvaux and Jean Portante make up the Luxembourg delegation.

This will be a first for the Feria Internacional del Libro (FIL) in Guadalajara, which in its 36 previous editions has welcomed countries, cities or regions, but never a community beyond the confines of a nation-state.

The fair, which is aimed at both professionals and the general public, is also a cultural festival in which literature plays a major role, with a rich programme featuring authors from every continent and language, highlighting European cultural diversity and contemporary creative dynamics.

As guest of honour, the EU will have a prominent presence with a 1300 m² pavilion located in a central and visible position within the FIL premises. It is currently being designed by a Barcelona-based architecture studio with a multinational team of European and Latin American architects. The pavilion will reflect the principles of openness, inclusion, hospitality, sustainability, diversity and unity.

Luxembourg will be represented through the voices of authors Nathalie Ronvaux and Jean Portante, the latter being well known in Latin America not only for having lived there for a long time, but also for his translations into French of Latin American poets, himself being translated and published in Spanish, notably in Mexico.

Programme :
Wednesday 29 November from 6.00 pm to 7.20 pm
“Books and letters to provoke dialogue” with Pascal Quignard, Jurga Vilė , Nikos Bakounakis, Jean Portante
Moderation: Sylvia Georgina Estrada
Venue: Salón 1, ground floor, Expo Guadalajara

Thursday 30 November, 6.00 pm to 7.20 pm
“Stories of Exclusion. fight with words” with Elena Alexieva , Stejarel Olaru , Nathalie Ronvaux , Colm Tóibín
Venue: Salón 1, ground floor, Expo Guadalajara

On September 27, IFACCA held its General Assembly in Mexico City as part of MONDIACULT 2022.

IFACCA – International Federation of Arts Councils and Cultural Agencies – is the global network of arts councils, ministries of culture and government agencies that advance arts and culture, with member institutions representing over 70 countries.
Kultur | lx, as a member, participated in the event, represented by Valérie Quilez, International Coordinator, along with some forty representatives of member institutions. It was an opportunity for lively exchanges on the post-pandemic situation in the cultural sector, the vulnerability of artists and cultural professionals, as well as sustainable development issues, bringing together perspectives from Europe, the Americas, the African continent and the Asia-Pacific region.

On this occasion, a report titled “A crisis of sustainable careers? Examining working conditions for independent arts and cultural workers” has been released. (available HERE)

The success of IFACCA’s 8th General Assembly, regional section meetings and In-Focus Forum is a testament to the strength of the federation and the need for exchange of knowledge and experience among its members.

IFACCA members have been invited by the Government of Mexico to join and participate in MONDIACULT 2022, the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development, convened by UNESCO from September 28 to 30, forty years after the first MONDIACULT to act in favour of culture as a global public good.