Frankfurter Buchmesse to make its debut at FILGUA 2026: Germany is Guest of Honour in Guatemala
Theme: “Historias que construyen puentes – Stories that build bridges” | Cultural and specialist programme featuring, amongst others, Carolin Emcke, Helene Bukowski and Charlotte Brandi
Frankfurter Buchmesse will be represented at the Feria Internacional del Libro en Guatemala (FILGUA) for the first time in 2026 and, together with the German Embassy in Guatemala and the Goethe-Institut Mexico, will organise Germany’s participation as Guest of Honour. Under the theme “Historias que construyen puentes – Stories that build bridges”, Germany will be presenting itself from 7 to 19 July 2026 at the Fórum Majadas (Guatemala City) with an extensive, cross-disciplinary programme: It brings together more than 140 events over 13 days of the fair – ranging from literature and illustration to music and debates that extend far beyond the traditional book industry.
The Guatemala International Book Fair has been held since 2000 and is regarded as the most important cultural event in the Central American region. Organised by the Guatemalan Publishers’ Association (AGEG) with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Sport, FILGUA serves year after year as a meeting place for authors, readers, publishers and industry experts in Guatemala and beyond. This year’s edition is dedicated to Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dr Rigoberta Menchú Tum, in recognition of her legacy in championing indigenous peoples and human dignity.
The German Pavilion brings together 30 exhibitors at the fair: the focus is on the question of what unites societies – across languages, borders and generations.
The Guest of Honour programme thrives on collaboration with numerous partners, not all of whom come from the book industry: cultural work, international cooperation, academia and socio-political initiatives all come together in the pavilion. Interactive formats are a deliberate part of the programme, opening up new avenues for engaging with literature, exchange and learning.
Carolin Emcke and Helene Bukowski, two defining voices of contemporary German-language literature, are travelling to Guatemala. Their talks, panel discussions and workshops will explore themes such as the culture of remembrance, coexistence, identity and storytelling in times of crisis. The musical guest from Germany is Charlotte Brandi, whose concert will enrich the Guest of Honour programme with a further artistic perspective. In addition, the illustrator Mia Oberländer, the legal scholar Prof. Dr Stefan Peters and the ‘storytelling hairdresser’ Danny Beuerbach will be on site to help shape the programme.
Sabine Eismann, representative of the German Embassy in Guatemala, emphasises: “Guatemala and Germany share many years of intertwined history – families, projects, ideas and dreams. FILGUA 2026 is an opportunity to celebrate this in style, with books, music and conversations that need no passport. For what we build together, what moves us and what inspires us knows no boundaries.”
Exclusive professional programme: the book market, AI, digital distribution
A particular focus is on the professional programme (8–10 July 2026), which Frankfurter Buchmesse is organising as part of its presence at the event. The programme centres on current developments for publishers, translators, booksellers and industry stakeholders in Guatemala and Central America. Over three days, experts and participants will explore issues relating to the book market, artificial intelligence in literary translation and digital distribution channels.
The Guest of Honour programme is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) and organised as part of the International Trade Fair Programme in cooperation with the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (AUMA).
Further information on Germany’s appearance as Guest of Honour and the partnership structure: www.german-stories.de(opens in a new window)