Of late, my conversations with my wife, writer Neni Sta. Romana Cruz have been largely focused on what is keeping her preoccupied these days – being part of the organizing team for what seems like a grand project, gearing up for the Philippines as the Guest of Honor for the Frankfurter Buchmesse in 2025. She used to attend the yearly Buchmesse as chair of the National Book Development Board and even then, the big dream was for the country to be GoH. She is only too happy to talk about it.
“When the National Book Development Board resumed attendance at the Frankfurter Buchmesse in 2015 after a hiatus of 15 years, it felt like we were the newest kid on the block. There was just a handful of us there then, our national stand a tiny space which we had to decorate ourselves with colored paper bought from a Frankfurt stationery shop. Our nook was not well lit and someone from Manila asked upon approaching the stand if there was a brownout. Fortunately, the stands of our ASEAN neighbors, Singapore and Malaysia had bright lighting that spilled our way. We can laugh about these humble beginnings today because thanks to the patronage and encouragement of Sen. Loren Legarda, we were assisted with a Buchmesse-targeted budget, making our yearly attendance possible. It is an unwritten rule that a country’s yearly presence is necessary for it to be felt, to be acknowledged, to make a difference.
“It was then NBDB Governor and publishing icon Karina Bolasco who took a chance and asked the senator who had made possible the return of the Philippines to the Venice Biennale after an absence of 51 years, if she might be able to give the book industry a much-needed similar boost and exposure. And what a difference the budgetary support of Sen. Loren has been. For look at where we are today – working towards 2025, when the country takes center stage to be the Buchmesse’s Guest of Honor. Credit goes to Bolasco who prepared the Bid Book for the Philippines as GoH.
“Considered the Olympics of book fairs, the world’s oldest and largest bookfair, this is not your usual bookfair because it is a rights-selling fair, rather than a bookselling one. The goal of the attending authors and publishers from all over the world is to sell the rights of their books for these to be translated to other languages, to reach a wider audience. It is only during the weekend when it is open to the public and the selling of the books allowed.
“A Philippine delegation of fifty-strong creatives – authors, illustrators, publishers – will be in attendance at the 76th Frankfurter Buchmesse from October 16-20. These individuals were provided travel grants they applied for to facilitate their participation at the fair – many will join panel discussions, lead seminars, and best of all, immerse themselves in the exhibits in six different buildings. But best to be forewarned that it is a huge book exposition humanly impossible to visit during the course of the four days.
“Among the writers in the delegation who will participate in the Buchmesse programs are: Frances Alvarez, Jose Dalisay, Mina Esguerra, Patricia Evangelista, Jaya Jacobo, Ambeth Ocampo, Isabel Roxas, Budjette Tan.
Aside from the large delegation this year as compared to the past, our country stands have also increased – from one national stand (today, elegant and well-lit) featuring the year’s best publications to others highlighting titles in these genres: New Adult, Children’s & Young Adult, Graphic Novels and Comics, Academic Publications and Textbooks.
“The Asia Stage, sponsored by Buchmesse and Rex Education will feature 30 sessions about literature, education, the arts, humanities, technology, and sciences. There is also an International Stage where some Filipino authors are making presentations.
“The Philippines has a special interest in this year’s Buchmesse as it gears up to be the country of focus, the Guest of Honor (GoH) in 2025. Consider this year’s participation as a dress rehearsal for next year’s big event, anticipated with special pride as the Philippines is only the second Southeast Asian country to be bestowed that distinction, exactly after Indonesia was GoH, ten years ago in 2015.
“Italy is this year’s GoH and a handover ceremony will formalize the Philippines’ turn for the GoH role. The theme for the Philippine participation borrowed from Rizal’s “Noli Me Tangere” is “Imagination peoples the air” from the Sisa chapter of the Charles Derbyshire’s English translation.
“Part of the official launch of the Philippines as 2025 GoH after the Buchmesse, is a special four-day program “In the Air” at Heidelberg and Wilhelmself, places special to Rizal, where he lived and studied ophthalmology. Remember “To the Flowers of Heidelberg?”
“As this is a big event for the country, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the National Book Development Board (NBDB), the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and the Office of Senator Loren Legarda have been working in tight collaboration these past several months after the public announcement by Frankfurter Buchmesse officials in August 2022 in Davao, during NBDB’s Philippine Book Festival.”