Czechia, Guest of Honour, hands over the GuestScroll to Chile, Guest of Honour at Frankfurter Buchmesse 2027
Frankfurt, 11 October 2026 – In the afternoon of the final day of the fair, this year’s Guest of Honour, Czechia, bid farewell with the traditional handover of the GuestScroll to Chile, Guest of Honour at Frankfurter Buchmesse 2027 (6–10 October 2027). During the Handover Ceremony, Czech illustrator Lucie Lomová and Chilean artist Alberto Montt talked about their creative work and rounded off the conversation with a live drawing session. Following a welcome address by Juergen Boos, Director of Frankfurter Buchmesse, Tomáš Kubíček, head of the Czech Guest of Honour project, handed the GuestScroll to Nicolás Leyton, head of Chile’s Guest of Honour team. The Chilean indie-pop duo Dënver played live at the event.
Czechia, Guest of Honour, looks back on a successful presentation
Under the motto “Czechia: A country on the Coast”, this year’s Guest of Honour presented its culture and literature at Frankfurter Buchmesse. Around 100 events featuring more than 75 Czech authors and many other artists, cultural figures and representatives of the Czech literary scene – both at the fair and throughout Frankfurt – ensured a spectacular showcase for the Guest of Honour. A particular highlight was the Guest of Honour Pavilion, which, through its programme and design, brought Czech culture to life on the exhibition grounds. Ten exhibitions in Frankfurt and Offenbach complemented the fair’s programme and offered further insights into Czech literature, book art and culture. The presentation at the book fair marked the highlight of a whole year of Czech culture in the German-speaking world.
Martin Krafl, programme director of Czechia 2026, said: “We were able to generate enormous interest in the Czech Republic and our literature. We engaged in intensive discussions with publishers, literary agents and translators – from the German-speaking world, but also far beyond. Buoyed by the momentum from Frankfurt, we and our authors are now moving forward: to festivals this autumn in Zofingen, Switzerland, in Dresden and also at Buch Wien, and then to the Leipzig Book Fair in spring 2027. And in November 2027, the Czech Republic will be the featured country at Buch Wien.”
Guest of Honour 2027: Chile: “Astros de Tierra” – Earthly Stars
With the handover of the GuestScroll, the focus now shifts to Chilean literature and culture. Under the motto “Astros de Tierra” – Earthly Stars in English – Chile will present itself as Guest of Honour at Frankfurter Buchmesse 2027.
Inspired by Chile’s special connection with the sky – from the astronomical knowledge of Indigenous peoples to the modern observatories in the Atacama Desert – the country will present its literature and culture as a diverse cosmos. Authors, poets, thinkers and cultural creatives will symbolise stars and constellations that connect different voices, languages, regions and generations.
Nicolás Leyton, head of Chile’s Guest of Honour project, explains: "Stars have been an essential part of human history: through them we have understood ourselves, looked to the past and imagined the future. A starry sky is also an expression of cultural diversity and richness. Our presence as Guest of Honour in Frankfurt carries that same meaning: to show all that we are in dialogue with Chile's privileged skies and with a diverse range of authors, whose voices have the strength to shine around the world. They are our earthly stars."
The Guest of Honour presentation also aims to further strengthen the international visibility of Chilean literature. A particular focus lies on translations, the rights trade and networking with international publishers and cultural institutions. Since 2024, the “Translating Chile” programme has supported 109 translations of Chilean titles; by October 2027, at least 160 titles are to be translated into other languages.
Please find here more information about Frankfurter Buchmesse’s Guest of Honour programme: https://www.buchmesse.de/en/highlights/guest-honour (opens in a new window)
Website Guest of Honour Czechia: https://czechia2026.com/(opens in a new window)
Website Guest of Honour Chile: https://frankfurt2027.cultura.gob.cl/en/(opens in a new window)
Press kit of Chile's preview press conference on 8 October 2026: prochile_pressekit_fbm_2026_en-final.pdf(opens in a new window)
Press contact Guest of Honour Czechia:
Jiří Sedlák
jiri.sedlak@mzk.cz https://czechia2026.com/media-en/ (opens in a new window)
Press contact Guest of Honour Chile:
Feisal Sukni García
feisal.sukni@cultura.gob.cl(opens in a new window)