I had an engaging meeting with Juergen Boos, President and CEO of Frankfurter Buchmesse, and Claudia Kaiser, Vice President for Book Development, as the Philippines prepares to be the Guest of Honour country at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2025.
The journey to GOH was never easy, from securing funds way back in 2015 to having a modest booth, and securing the role as the featured country as guest of honor next year. It’s a decades long journey that I initiated, envisioned and painstakingly worked on. But, the narratives of our people and our communities inspired me to dream bigger and strive even harder to pursue my commitment to forging deeper ties through cultural diplomacy, our so called “soft power”. If we were able to bring back the country to the contemporary art scene at the Venice Biennale after a 51-year hiatus, I was confident that we could also bring the Philippines to the forefront of the global literary stage, that is the Frankfurt Book Fair.
I also learned during the meeting that the Czech Republic will succeed the Philippines as GOH in 2026. It is meaningful because of the historical connection between our countries through Jose Rizal and his close friendship with the Czech Ferdinand Blumentritt, who played a significant role in Rizal’s journey in Europe. Our National Artist Federico Aguilar Alcuaz was also a proponent of the distinctive art protis technique, which originated from the Czech Republic and we were also planning to have an exhibit on his tapestries. The transition from the Philippines to the Czech Republic as GOH reinforces a story of shared values, mutual respect, and the power of culture in bridging nations.
I always enjoy interacting with individuals who have advocacy, vision, and passion similar to mine. Through these intellectual discourses, my vision keeps growing as new ideas and initiatives are realized. I am even more motivated to work harder and serve better for the Philippines today than yesterday!
