The 32nd Bogota International Book Fair, FILBO, which took place from April 25 to May 6, 2019, had as a special guest country 'Colombia, 200 years'. During this Fair, more than 3,000 square meters were used to commemorate the birth of the Republic of Colombia and the building of a Nation.
The Ministry of Culture joined the commemoration of the Bicentennial, supporting the construction of the Bicentennial Pavilion "Colombia, 200 years" and the space for the exhibition and sale of books within the pavilion. In alliance with the Colombian Association of Booksellers, ACLI, the Colombia Bookstore was created, made up of a sample of 3,000 books, showcasing the work of Colombian publishing houses and professionals, including authors, translators, editors, illustrators, among others. All the literary offering of this space had to do with Colombia, revolving around five major themes:
1) Visiones of Colombia: Visions of Colombia, a section that allows us to understand how we see ourselves, looking at our past and projecting our future; here there were journalism, history, sociology and philosophy books.
2) Nuestra Tierra (Our Earth): it is what identifies us, encompassing gastronomy, geography, folklore, ecology, and all the cultural expressions of our country.
3) Como nos contamos (As we tell it): in this space literary genres such as novels, short stories, poetry, essay, translation, were to be found.
4) Libros para mirarte (Books that look at you): this section had an important graphic component, which accompanied a story or other content. Here art and design, comic and photography books were the most prominent.
5) El lugar de la infancia (The place of childhood): the entire Colombian book production for children and youth was showcased here.
Following the same objective and in accordance with the commitment of the Ministry of Culture to bringing to all regions a cultural offering that brings Colombians closer to the history of independence, the Colombia Bookstore toured the regional book fairs of Cucuta, Pasto, Pereira and Popayan in 2019.
- During the 13 days of FILBO, more than 127,000 people visited the Pavilion and experienced in its 3,000 square meters the meaning of the concepts of freedom, equality, sovereignty and independence, as seen through the eyes of the women and men who gave life to the Republic two centuries ago.
- The book exhibition of the Pavilion took visitors on a journey that allowed them to see different versions of the past, learn about the complex historical context of their forefathers, who lived through that era, and understand how all members of this society found their place, from the perspective and experiences offered by literature:
Guest Country Pavilion
Exhibition Area 3.000m2
Visitors to Pavilion 4 127,000
Book Exhibition items 19,485 books
Colombia Bookstore Sales (number of Books) 8,234
Colombia Bookstore sales (in pesos) $380,967,730
Number of cultural activities offered 100
- Tour of the Colombia Bookstore in 4 regional book fairs in Cucuta, Pereira, Pasto y Popayan, during 2019.
- Besides the 5 themes already mentioned, in each city a new section was opened with an offer of authors from that region.
$182.258
| Name of partner | Type of entity |
|---|---|
Colombian Association of Booksellers, ACLI
| Civil Society Organization (CSO)
|
Colombian Book Chamber
| Civil Society Organization (CSO)
|
Ministry of culture
|
- The Colombia Bookstore allowed the diversity of Colombian book production to be brought to the several regions thanks to local book fairs.
- The participation of authors in the cultural programming within the framework of the Colombia Library was noteworthy, as it helped them connect with readers of all ages, especially the young.
- However, for future literary events it is recommended to offer cultural agendas focused on and led by the independent publishing sector.
- It is recommended that organizers of the regional book fairs provide independent bookstores and publishers with more exhibition space for their production, going beyond a traditional commercial offer.
- This experience allowed to showcase the book production that is being done in other areas of the country.
- Additionally, it contributed to promoting the independent book production in Colombia.