The 46th International Fair at the Palace of Mining was inaugurated by the rector of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Leonardo Lomelí Vanegas. This literary event will take place from February 21 to March 2 and has the special guest state of Oaxaca, which offers more than 70 activities dedicated to its ancestral traditions and its outstanding literary heritage.
During the inaugural ceremony, Lomelí Vanegas emphasized that the fair is a space where new ideas emerge and reinforces the importance of indigenous cultures. He also highlighted that access to literature is recognized as a fundamental right and that reading faces challenges today.
The fair's program includes 1,048 editorial presentations, 102 lectures, 47 public readings, 25 round tables, and 59 workshops, with the participation of more than 700 authors and 443 publishing houses. The president of the National Chamber of the Mexican Publishing Industry (CANIEM), Hugo Setzer Letsche, highlighted the importance of this event in a world where challenges for books are constant.
José Antonio Hernández Espriú, director of the Faculty of Engineering at UNAM, pointed out that one third of the activities come from different faculties and that 58 percent of the participants are women, showcasing female leadership in all areas of knowledge.
The fair, which will be open until March 2, addresses topics ranging from generative artificial intelligence to political-social criticism and highlights the importance of protecting indigenous languages. At the event, the relevance of initiatives such as the fair was reiterated to improve reading comprehension and strengthen educational competencies.
Moreover, the fair's programming not only seeks to promote reading but also to celebrate cultural diversity at a time when statistics reflect a decrease in the percentage of the population that reads books in Mexico.
