Building a Union of Cultures
The European Union (EU) will be the Guest of Honour at the 37th Edition of the Guadalajara International Book Fair, in Mexico (Feria Internacional del Libro de Guadalajara, FIL - 25th November and 3rd December 2023).
It is a privilege for the EU to be present in this major international book sector rendezvous and cultural event, that beyond Mexico reaches the whole Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) region. All EU Member States will participate in the EU programme as Guest of Honour at FIL 2023.
The participation of the EU in Guadalajara is placed under the motto “Building a Union of Cultures” and is an opportunity for the EU to reinforce mutually enriching links, build partnerships and enhance EU-LAC relations, based on our respective intellectual capital and the diversity of our cultural assets, literatures, languages and heritage. It will promote intercultural dialogue and reinforce trust between Europe and Mexico, Latin American and the Caribbean, based in our shared values.
Culture is understood as a vector of change towards a sustainable, fairer, inclusive, and inspiring future for everyone. The presence of the EU at FIL, a major international cultural event, is placed within the EU international cultural relations strategy, aiming to engage in a peer-to-peer intercultural dialogue with global partners worldwide to promote and defend peace, freedom and democracy through co-creative civil society partnerships.
The EU will invite a wide array of European authors that will participate in exchanges and establish a dialogue with the Latin American and global literary community. The EU will propose a rich and diverse artistic programme and participate in all FIL sections and activities.
European book sector professionals and organisations will be invited to FIL 2023 with the aim to enhance book/literature sector exchanges between both sides of the Atlantic. The EU will facilitate the presence and visibility of smaller and emergent actors from all EU countries.
The EU will encourage co-creation, collaborations and artistic cross-fertilization, and showcase the dynamics of contemporary European creation, as well as the modernity of European culture and literature. Young authors, artists, readers and general audiences will be given a prominent role.
The participation of EU at FIL 2023 is led by the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the European Commission (EC) with a Team Europe approach: The EU programme as guest of honour is being elaborated in close collaboration between EU services and EU Member States.