04 December 2023
Some 70 writers and 50 publishers from the 27 Member States were part of the EU delegation, promoting an open dialogue between Europe and Latin America.
The 1,130 square metres pavilion, whose design is inspired by the Bauhaus artistic movement of the first half of the 20th century, consisted of a vast agora inviting people to meet. It was flanked by spaces where literary activities are organised between authors, publishers from around the world and the public. “It's a space that invites encounters, explains Julieta, a young volunteer who welcomed and guided visitors, “like an agora, a hospitable public space where people interact".
Hundreds of Mexican, Latin American and European publishers were meeting in the original format of speed-dating. During these 10 minutes express meetings they assessed possibilities for literary and publishing collaborations. Participants moved from table to table in a cheerful, concentrated atmosphere. “This is my 8th meeting,” says Pavlina Jurackova, a publisher from the Czech Republic, “I've had some interesting insights and I think that these rapid meetings could result in some joint publishing projects”.
Carlos Armenta, from the publishing house “Impronta Casa Editora Guadalajara”, was also enthusiastic about the initiative: "Most of the participants here are independent publishers, and it's really important that the EU offers us this space to get to know each other and work together. In the current state of the world and with the risk of monopoly by large publishing groups, it is essential to have this space".
Francisco Javier Vera Manzanares is a 13-year-old Colombian environmental activist and influencer invited by the European Union. It’s in the mountains of Villeta, around a hundred kilometres from Bogota, that he developed his ecological awareness. Very early on, Francisco posted videos on social networks, first to talk about recycling, then to denounce mining, which in Colombia is synonymous with expropriation, illegal practices and armed gangs. " We are already affected by the decisions taken by adults and it’s our responsibility to speak-up", he says, without losing his generous smile. Unfortunately, his courageous stance has caused him serious problems. He received direct death threats and ended up moving to Barcelona. "I'm here in Guadalajara to say that children are not just the future, we are the present and we have the right to have an opinion", he insists with conviction. He is taking advantage of his presence at the EU pavilion to amplify his message and mobilise young people: "It's important to spread this message of defending the environment elsewhere and to listen to the concerns of others". On his social networks, with an emoticon in the shape of a raised fist, he has a message he is proud to show: "Whatever happens, I will continue to put my citizen status at the service of life”..
This call for mobilisation and commitment was shared by the authors gathered in the EU pavilion who payed tribute to Victoria Amelina. The 37-years-old Ukrainian author was killed by a Russian strike on a restaurant in Kramatorsk, in the Donetsk region, on 27 June 2023. A wave of emotion swept through the packed crowd when Hector Abad, the Colombian writer who was with Victoria Amelina when she was killed, recalled those dramatic moments: "Ukraine deserves a space at the FIL. Ukrainian culture is an integral part of European culture. The "Aguanta ukrania" (Hold on Ukraine) campaign stands to tell Ukrainians that the world of culture is at their side, despite the 10,000 kilometres that separate us". By the side of Victor Abad was an empty chair. The one that should have been occupied by Victoria Amelina. She was also a guest at FIL this year. “Writing is an act of resistance," insists Greek writer Ersi Sotiropoulos, who was taking part in the debate, "it's also about leaving a trace in the wake of terror and obscurantism. Writers inhabit the world, they are miners of the soul, they explore the depths of the human condition. They are also an extremely powerful links between cultures, bringing people together".
The agora fulfilled its role of providing a place for debate and exchange of views, which is what authors are looking for. «By being here in Guadalajara, Europe has a very good ground to communicate with Latin America because culture is probably the best language to understand differences but also to understand better each other” underlined the Moldovan writer Tatiana Tibuleac. “The meetings I am having with authors and readers from the region are very rich because we realise that we are all worried about the same thing but sometimes from a different perspective. It is fascinating to be here and to realise that people from Moldova, Mexico or Germany have common topics to think and talk about” she concludes.
Tadhg Mac Dhonnagain, an Irish writer far from his verdant land of Donegal, savoured the experience : “Being here, as a writer, it’s a great opportunity to spread my wings and to introduce myself to new audience. I really like this concept of unity, which is at the core of the European project. And now, we are here, a diverse bunch of people from different parts of the world with diversity of languages, of culture, of cuisine and of literature and I found it wonderful that the EU and the FIL gives us this opportunity to meet. As an Irish man, I am very proud to be part of that”.
This FIL experience took a most unexpected creative turn for him : «Being here can even be a source of inspiration. When I left Ireland, the weather was grey and cold, and then I arrived to Guadalajara with a beautiful sunshine and all these colours everywhere. It’s a kind of shift from my reality and it reminds you that your subjective reality of life is not the full picture. The people I met these days, there's something about them that interests me, they do feed my imagination and I'd like to absorb that memory and maybe use it in my next novel.”
These are only few of the hundreds of inspiring authors and activists that were present at the FIL.
