From 28 November to 6 December 2026, Italy will once again take centre stage at the Guadalajara International Book Fair – FIL, eighteen years after it last served as Guest of Honour. It does so in the name of Umberto Eco: it is his phrase – “The world speaks to us like a great book” – with which Italy is presenting itself at the largest international book fair dedicated to Spanish-speaking markets.
Alongside more than 120 literary and professional events, featuring 58 authors and representatives from the Italian and international publishing world, the programme is enriched by exhibitions and performances, concerts and other initiatives, ranging from gastronomy to cinema, including academic exchanges.
The beating heart of the initiative will be the Italian Pavilion at the Fair, where more than 40 publishers will be exhibiting and where there will be an area displaying books by Italian authors in their original language and in Spanish translation.
Every year, the Guadalajara International Book Fair attracts over 800 writers, 18,000 publishing professionals, 2,800 publishing houses from over 60 countries and an audience of nearly one million visitors. Guadalajara is one of the leading international markets for the trading of Spanish-language publishing rights, serving as the primary market for the Italian publishing industry in this field, and has established itself as a strategic platform for the sector’s internationalisation.
Italy: Guest of Honour at the Guadalajara International Book Fair is an initiative organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, in collaboration with the Embassy of Italy in Mexico City and the Italian Cultural Institute in Mexico City, the Ministry of Culture through the Directorate-General for Libraries and Cultural Institutes, the Directorate-General for Performing Arts, the Directorate-General for Cinema and Audiovisual Media (including Cinecittà), the Directorate-General for Museums and the Centre for Books and Reading, ITA – the Italian Trade Agency for the promotion abroad and the internationalisation of Italian companies – and in collaboration with AIE – the Italian Publishers Association.
