Colombia names Sharjah as first Arab Guest of Honour at Bogotá International Book Fair 2027

The Bogotá International Book Fair (FILBo) has announced Sharjah as the first Arab Guest of Honour in the fair's history. The 39th edition will take place in the Colombian capital from April 20 to May 3, 2027, at the Corferias exhibition centre.

Sharjah’s participation will place Emirati and Arab culture at the heart of one of Latin America’s leading literary events, highlighting the richness of its literary and cultural achievements while opening new opportunities for cultural exchange and cooperation with Colombia and the region in the fields of publishing and translation.

The announcement was made during a press conference at San Carlos Palace’s Bolívar Hall in Bogotá, in the presence of Paula Andrea Holguín Moreno, Colombia’s Minister of Cultures, Arts and Knowledge; Ahmed Bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of Sharjah Book Authority (SBA); Mohamed Abdulla Al Shamsi, UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Colombia; Elisa Mercedes Fuentes Mejía, Director of Economic, Social and Environmental Affairs; Andrea Victorino, Director of Reading and Libraries at the Secretariat of Culture, Recreation and Sport and Bogotá’s public library network, BibloRed; Dr Andrés López Valderrama, CEO of Corferias; Dr Emiro Aristizábal Álvarez, CEO of the Colombian Book Chamber; and Adriana Cecilia Ángel Forero, Director of FILBo, alongside representatives of the diplomatic corps, cultural partners and the media.

Sharjah’s selection as Guest of Honour builds on the UAE’s presence in Latin America, where the emirate has previously held the honour at the São Paulo and Guadalajara international book fairs in Brazil and Mexico, respectively.

The participation strengthens the UAE’s presence in Latin America’s cultural landscape and expands literary exchange between the Arab world and the region.

It will create further opportunities to translate Emirati and Arab literature, develop ties between publishers, and introduce Arab readers to publications and literary works from Colombia and other countries in the region.

Arab-Latin American literary dialogue

Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of SBA, said: “Sharjah’s selection as FILBo’s first-ever Arab Guest of Honour is an opportunity to deepen cultural exchange between the Arab world and Latin America. Both regions have rich literary traditions, yet there remains significant potential for their stories, ideas and contemporary voices to reach one another more widely.

Dignitaries at the event.

In Bogotá, we want to turn this opportunity into lasting connections between writers, publishers, translators and cultural institutions, expanding the presence of Arab literature in Spanish and bringing Latin American literature closer to Arab readers.”

Bridge between cultures

For her part, Paula Andrea Holguín Moreno, Colombia’s Minister of Cultures, Arts and Knowledge, said: “After many years of fruitful cooperation with the UAE, particularly through Sharjah, we are delighted to welcome the emirate, known for its culture, literature and books, as FILBo’s Guest of Honour. Its participation builds on these longstanding ties and offers a new opportunity to deepen cultural dialogue and exchange between Colombia and the Arab world.”

She added: “Over more than four decades, Sharjah has built a leading cultural model centred on books and knowledge as a means of connecting peoples and cultures. We look forward to creating greater opportunities for writers, publishers and creatives from both sides, strengthening cooperation and expanding dialogue between the Arab world and Latin America through culture and literature.”

During his keynote, Ahmed Bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of SBA, said Sharjah’s selection as the first-ever Arab Guest of Honour in the history of FILBo recognises the cultural stature the UAE and Sharjah have built globally. The title also builds on longstanding cultural and human ties between the Arab world and Colombia, reflected in the presence of Arabs in Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude and in the reach of Latin American literature among millions of Arab readers.

He said: “When we say today that Sharjah is meeting Bogotá, we are building further on our shared knowledge and deep cultural ties, reflected in books that have documented and sustained this relationship. Sharjah’s cultural project is the result of the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, who has always placed books at the centre of human development, preservation of knowledge and connections between peoples. Her Highness Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of SBA, continues to expand the emirate’s international cultural presence through partnerships and new opportunities for writers, publishers and translators to reach readers and markets.”

Connecting publishing markets

Dr. Emiro Aristizábal Álvarez, Executive President of the Colombian Book Chamber, said: “Sharjah’s presence at FILBo is an opportunity to strengthen ties between the Colombian publishing industry and new partners, markets and international networks. It will enable publishers, agents, translators and authors to build relationships, explore collaboration and bring their work to wider audiences. We also want this exchange to open new opportunities for Colombian books, authors and content to reach readers in the Arab world and other international markets.”

Adriana Cecilia Ángel Forero, Director of FILBo, said: “We want Sharjah’s presence at FILBo to extend beyond books, bringing visitors closer to new voices, traditions and ways of understanding culture. Internationalisation is central to the fair’s work, connecting Colombia with other cultures and bringing our authors and their works to new audiences. In 2027, Sharjah will help broaden this dialogue between Colombia, Latin America and the Arab world.”

Extensive cultural and professional programme

SBA is preparing a dedicated cultural programme for Colombian and wider Latin American audiences, showcasing the diversity of Sharjah’s cultural experience through literature, publishing, the arts and heritage. The programme will also include a professional track for publishing professionals, with meetings focused on translation, rights exchange and distribution. Further details will be announced by SBA at a later stage.

Organised by the Colombian Book Chamber and Corferias since 1988, the Bogotá International Book Fair is one of Colombia’s leading cultural events and a prominent book fair in the Spanish-speaking world. It brings together authors, publishers, editors, translators, distributors, literary agents, booksellers and readers, alongside a professional programme covering business cooperation, rights exchange and publishing industry issues.