The 2025 Frankfurter Buchmesse Spotlights the Impact of Philippine Literature
The Philippines takes center stage as the Guest of Honour at the 77th Frankfurter Buchmesse, strengthening the presence of Philippine literature to the world
Philippine literature flips through another chapter at the Frankfurter Buchmesse with its new role as the Guest of Honor for the Frankfurt Book Fair 2025. Taking inspiration from National Hero Jose Rizal, the theme of next’s year presentation is “The Imagination Peoples the Air”—an overarching theme that encapsulates the Philippine literature, vibrant culture, and rich history of the nation.
RELATED: Enter the Publishing World of Fashion With These 5 Books
Filipinos in Action
At the press conference, curators Patrick D. Flores and Karina A. Bolasco were present, as well as the representative of the organizing Philippine agencies—Chair of the National Book Development Board (NBDB) Dante Francis Ang II, Executive Director of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Eric B. Zerrudo, and Ambassador of the Philippine Embassy to Germany H.E. Irene Susan B. Natividad. Transfeminine thinker and artist Jaya Jacobo and Trese Comics creator Ferdinand Benedict “Budjette” Tan also presented their work as members of the authors’ delegation.
Elaborating on the theme, Philippine Pavilion curator Flores explained, “The keywords imagination, people, and air allude to the elements of the writing and reading context: the producers and receivers of texts; the talent of the idiosyncratic individual who reads and writes; and the community gathered by the air emanating from and animating books. The Guest of Honour Pavilion will be the space, the climate for sharing: democratic, deliberative, daring, convivial, peopled by imagination, prompted to action by struggle and dream.”
Philippine Literature Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
For the 2025 logo, the aspirational vision of the Philippines pays tribute to the descriptions of Jose Rizal—gold, blue, red, and green, reflecting the settings and characters of Noli Me Tangere.
Head of the Literary Program Karina A. Bolasco reiterates the roster of titles that the Philippine Pavilion will feature. “The 2025 Philippine Pavilion will be a showcase of our literary development focusing on pioneering, unique works that represent significant aspects of the Filipino culture,” she says. “Collaborating with experts and stakeholders, the delegation aims to highlight titles that not only delve into Filipino heritage but also appeal to international markets interested in diverse stories.”
From the 70 publishers, authors, and creatives as well as 700 titles participating in the fair, the handover of the Guest Scroll from Italy to the Philippines will be held at the Italian Pavilion. Meanwhile, the four-day launch of the program will be held in Heidelberg and Wilhelmsfeld where Rizal wrote Noli in the 1880s.
In 2025, the country will double the representatives and books participating in the 2,000 square-meter pavilion. This paves the way for more dialogue and inspiration from fellow Filipinos and other parts of the world.
2025: The New Age of Philippine Literature
With the exciting collaboration of the Philippines and the world, Director of Frankfurter Buchmesse Juergen Boos expressed his joy. “I am very excited about the Philippines’ Guest of Honour presentation in 2025. The motto The imagination peoples the air resonates with the universality of storytelling,” he shares. “Even though the Philippines is the world’s thirteenth largest nation with more than 109 million citizens, I believe for many of us in Europe, Philippine literature is currently still rather unknown territory. As the country steps into its role as Guest of Honour, we will learn a lot about the importance of storytelling and today’s cultural scene for Philippine civil society. With an incredible 183 different languages spoken on its 7,641 islands, the country’s diverse influences are one of the aspects I am looking forward to seeing in Frankfurt in 2025.”
Since the country’s debut presentation at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 1998 with 302 titles and 45 publishers, the Philippines returned in 2015 through Hon. Senator Loren Legarda. Talking about the feat of the Filipinos, Legarda remarked, “This is a moment of immense national pride. With the Philippine government support, we see the country being celebrated at the world’s largest book fair as a testament to the relentless efforts invested in promoting our literary and creative soul. We are excited to share the stories of the Filipino people with the world.”
Learn more about the Philippines taking center stage as the Guest of Honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2025.
Photos: FRANKFURT BUCHMESSE
The 2025 Frankfurter Buchmesse Spotlights the Impact of Philippine Literature
Trending Updates Central
No comments: