October 23, 2024
FRANKFURT – The Philippines will step into a central role at the 77th Frankfurter Buchmesse in 2025 (Frankfurt Book Fair 2025) as the guest of honor.
At a press conference, curators Patrick Flores and Karina Bolasco, National Book Development Board (NBDB) chair Dante Francis Ang II, National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Executive Director Eric Zerrudo, and Philippine Ambassador to Germany Irene Susan Natividad provided a sneak peek at the country’s presentation. They revealed the theme and visual identity.
Sen. Loren Legarda, the visionary and driving force behind the Philippines’ participation in the Frankfurt Book Fair, also graced the event virtually.
“This is a moment of immense national pride,” Legarda said in a video message.
“With the Philippine government support, we see the country being celebrated at the world’s largest book fair as a testament to the relentless efforts invested in promoting our literary and creative soul. We are excited to share the stories of the Filipino people with the world,” she added.
Transfeminine thinker and artist Jaya Jacobo and Trese Comics creator Ferdinand Benedict “Budjette” Tan are also part of the Philippine delegation. They also gave an insight into their work.
As a culturally diverse nation of 7,641 islands, the Philippines will highlight the strength of this diversity by featuring national artists, indigenous traditions, global perspectives, and a tribute to national hero Jose Rizal.
Inspired by a line from Rizal’s “Noli Me Tangere,” the country’s theme “The Imagination peoples the air” encapsulates the profound intersection of Philippine literature, vibrant culture, and rich history. It invites the global audience to experience the nation’s literary heart.
“The keywords imagination, people, and air allude to the elements of the writing and reading context: the producers and receivers of texts; the talent of the idiosyncratic individual who reads and writes; and the community gathered by the air emanating from and animating books,” said Flores, curator of the Philippine Pavilion.
Literature in the Philippines is more than storytelling; it is a social practice that connects readers to global ideas and future aspirations. Philippine narratives span genres and mediums, offering a unique perspective on history, culture, and contemporary realities.
“The Guest of Honour Pavilion will be the space, the climate for sharing: democratic, deliberative, daring, convivial, peopled by imagination, prompted to action by struggle and dream,” Flores said.
According to Flores, the visual identity also follows the theme “The imagination peoples the air” while conveying the act of imagining as a graphic and geometric abstraction brought to life. The main logo visualizes this process as an ascending grid lifting in the air, recalling the collective aspirations of the nation.
The color scheme reflects Rizal’s descriptions of vivid tones of gold, blue, red, and green in the settings and characters of his book. The typefaces refer to letters used in the first printing of Noli Me Tangere in 1890.
The visual design also includes glyphs, inspired by the baybayin script, an ancient writing system used by early Filipinos before the Spanish colonization. They represent characters or objects playing a central role in Noli Me Tangere.
Sen. Loren Legarda, the visionary and driving force behind the Philippines’ participation in the Frankfurt Book Fair, also graced the event virtually. PHOTO: PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER
Meanwhile, Bolasco, head of the Literary Program, emphasized the unique offerings of the Philippine Pavilion.
“The 2025 Philippine Pavilion will be a showcase of our literary development focusing on pioneering, unique works that represent significant aspects of Filipino culture. Collaborating with experts and stakeholders, the delegation aims to highlight titles that not only delve into Filipino heritage but also appeal to international markets interested in diverse stories,” she said.
She also said that the expansive Philippine program at the Frankfurter Buchmesse 2024 would provide insights into the ambitious plans of the Philippine team, presenting more than 70 publishers, authors, and creatives taking part in various stages in the book fair.
Moreover, 700 titles will grace the Philippine stand and the sections of the Frankfurt Book Fair, including genres such as graphic novel, children’s literature, new adult, and education.
A key event of the book fair will be the formal handover of the Guest Scroll from Italy to the Philippines in a ceremony at the Italian Pavilion.
The Philippines will also extend its cultural programming through a dynamic four-day launching program titled “In the Air” that will be held in Heidelberg and Wilhelmsfeld, where Rizal wrote Noli Me Tangere in the 1880s.
In 2025, the Philippines will also double the number of representatives and books in the 2,000-square-meter pavilion, creating a hub for dialogue and inspiration.
Moving beyond traditional marketing, the Philippines’ participation seeks to engage with readers, writers, and publishers through a creative exchange. Panels, lectures, and interactive exhibits will explore the role of literature as a catalyst for social change, bridging historical and contemporary realities.
The Philippines is working with German institutions to launch a comprehensive cultural program, focusing on Philippine perspectives on global issues and offering a space where the past, present, and future come together in a dynamic exchange.
The Philippines also promises an inspiring vision of literary and cultural exchange. The Philippine Pavilion will be a nexus of ideas, cultures, and history and a vibrant highlight of the fair, where stories come alive.
“I am very excited about the Philippines’ Guest of Honour presentation in 2025. The motto ‘The imagination peoples the air’ resonates with the universality of storytelling. Even though the Philippines is the world’s thirteenth largest nation with more than 109 million citizens, I believe for many of us in Europe, Philippine literature is currently still rather unknown territory,” said Juergen Boos, director of Frankfurt Book Fair.
“As the country steps into its role as Guest of Honour, we will learn a lot about the importance of storytelling and today’s cultural scene for Philippine civil society. With an incredible 183 different languages spoken on its 7,641 islands, the country’s diverse influences are one of the aspects I am looking forward to seeing in Frankfurt in 2025,” he added.
The journey to becoming the guest of honour has been a remarkable one. The Philippines made its debut at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 1998, presenting 302 titles from 45 publishers.
After its last participation in 2000, the Philippines went on a 15-year hiatus before making a powerful return in 2015. With the unwavering support of Legarda from 2016 onward, the Philippines has firmly reestablished its presence on the global literary stage. In 2023, the Philippines was officially confirmed as the guest of honour for 2025, a landmark moment in its cultural narrative.
The Philippines as guest of honor at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2025 is an achievement made possible through the joint efforts of the NCCA, the NBDB, the Department of Foreign Affairs, and Legarda’s office.