The Power of Books: Highlights from the 46th edition of the International Book Fair

In a world striving for unity, events like the 46th edition of the International Book Fair of the Palacio de Minería showcase the unifying power of culture and ideas, UNAM President Leonardo Lomelí Vanegas stated at the festival’s inauguration. Running through March 2, this literary celebration welcomes Oaxaca as this year’s guest of honor.

The event features 1,048 book presentations, 102 conferences, 47 public readings, and 25 roundtable discussions, bringing together more than 700 authors and 443 publishing houses.

“This is an inclusive and accessible space for all, where literature is recognized as a fundamental right,” President Lomelí Vanegas added.

Speaking on behalf of Oaxaca’s governor, Salomón Jara Cruz, the state’s Secretary of Culture and Arts, Flavio Sosa Villavicencio, thanked UNAM for hosting the event and described Oaxaca as “the cultural and identity heart of Mexico.”

He described books as an oasis of peace and clarity amid the overwhelming “screen dust” of modern life. He also emphasized the urgent need to protect books in the 21st century from censorship, neglect, decay, and the misguided notion that reading is merely a pastime.

During the fair’s opening ceremony, young Zapotec speaker Maryel Ramírez Orozco delivered a greeting on behalf of Oaxaca’s Indigenous communities and recited the poem El Juchitán de mi abuela (My Grandmother’s Juchitán).

As this year’s guest of honor, Oaxaca will host more than 70 events showcasing its ancestral traditions, ethnic diversity, and rich literary and artistic heritage.