The official agreement was signed today in Santiago de Chile. "For the clear skies of literature", will be the motto of the presentation of the Guest of Honor.
The guest of honor of the Frankfurt Book Fair 2027 has been decided: Chile will present its literature and culture as the guest country at the 79th fair, which will be held from October 6 to 10, 2027. The director of the fair, Juergen Boos, and the Chilean Minister of Cultures, Carolina Arredondo Marzán, signed the official agreement today.
The starting point of the first Guest of Honor program of the so-called Frankfurter Buchmesse was held in 1976 and the central theme was "Latin America". Chile will be the fourth Latin American country to showcase its literature and culture as a guest country at the book fair, following the Guest of Honor presentations by Mexico (1992), Brazil (1994 and 2013) and Argentina (2010).
"Not only will we learn more about Chile's lively young publishing scene and discover new literary voices, but we will also delve into the literary worlds of renowned writers such as Pablo Neruda, Isabel Allende and Roberto Bolaño," said Juergen Boos.
"I am very much looking forward to Chile being the guest of honor at the Frankfurt Book Fair," said Juergen Boos. "Not only will we learn more about Chile's lively and young publishing scene and discover new literary voices, but we will also delve into the literary worlds of renowned writers such as Pablo Neruda, Isabel Allende and Roberto Bolaño. Illustrations of Chilean books, which have been recognized internationally with numerous awards, will also be highlighted". Regarding the theme of the Guest of Honor's presentation, Boos added: "Those who have already been to Chile will be familiar with the impressive, wide and clear starry sky, as we can see it over the Atacama Desert. I am very excited that the Guest of Honor takes up this image, showing us how the sky and the stars tell their own stories and have influence and can connect with Chilean creativity and literature."
Chile's Minister of Cultures, Arts and Heritage, Carolina Arredondo Marzán, also expressed: "We are deeply grateful to have been chosen as Guest of Honor of the 2027th edition of the Frankfurt Book Fair, the most historic, influential and reputable of its kind in the world. Headlining the fair is a great opportunity to show the world the vitality, originality and beauty of Chilean literature, as well as the ingenuity of the many publishing houses that help new literary voices find their audiences. As President Gabriel Boric said, investing in culture is investing in a better world. He made sure this happened, and we thank him for it.
About the Guest of Honor Program of the Frankfurter Buchmesse
Since 1976, the Frankfurt Book Fair has hosted presentations by guests of honor. Initially they were held every two years and alternated with thematic focuses. Since 1988, each year a different country or region presents its literature and culture in Frankfurt. For the guest of honor the presentation is important on two levels: in addition to the great attention paid to its literature and culture, which are presented in exhibitions and an extensive program of cultural events, its publishing and creative industries have the opportunity to present themselves to an international audience at the world's largest book fair.
An important goal of the Guest of Honor program is to increase the number of translations from the guest country into German and other languages. The high public interest in the Guest of Honor at the book fair is also an incentive for publishers from all over the world to publish titles from the respective host country. In this way, Frankfurter Buchmesse's Guest of Honor program promotes the international licensing trade and the international transfer of literature.
The Guest of Honor at the next Frankfurter Buchmesse (October 16-20, 2024) is Italy. In 2025, the Philippines will be the Guest of Honor, followed by the Czech Republic in 2026. The spectrum of previous guests covers regions and countries such as New Zealand, Flanders and the Netherlands, Norway, Lithuania, India and Indonesia.
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