The Madrid Book Fair will feature an Ibero-American pavilion during its 2025 edition, financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation. This new space aims to strengthen the cultural ties of the Ibero-American community in preparation for the Ibero-American Summit in 2026, to be held in Madrid and which will bring together the heads of State and Government from 22 countries. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs thus contributes to promoting Spain and the Book Fair in the capital as a meeting point for the Spanish-language publishing sector, offering a space devoted to Ibero-American literature and culture.
The pavilion will host book presentations, round tables, book signings by authors, and activities aimed at making Ibero-American cultural diversity more visible, promoting the exchange of ideas and regional integration through the world of books.
For the Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, the Ibero-American pavilion “seeks to be a place for meeting and debate about our diverse and mixed languages and cultures, which constitute the essence of the Ibero-American Community of Nations”. For the minister, the pavilion “reflects the spirit in which Spain assumes the responsibility of organising the upcoming Ibero-American Summit in 2026”, offering a unique opportunity to promote Spanish, which, “in addition to having enormous international prestige as a language of culture, wants to increase its presence in science, new technologies and international organisations”.
Participation from Latin American authors in this fair has grown notably in recent years, with writers travelling from their countries of origin or living in Spain. Their presence is already a tradition that allows readers to meet their favourite authors who share Spanish as a common global language, with Portuguese, which is becoming increasingly important, also being added.
Spanish: A global language bringing people closer together
According to the Cervantes Institute, more than 600 million people speak Spanish, 500 million of whom are native speakers. This makes Spanish the most widely spoken mother tongue in the world after Mandarin Chinese. Spanish also ranks third in Internet usage and translations, underlining its global cultural and commercial influence. This influence is also seen in the digital and audiovisual sphere, which consolidates its importance as a cultural and economic tool.
The new Ibero-American pavilion, promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aims to boost this shared cultural reality and be a fundamental tool for strengthening ties between Ibero-American cultures, book professionals and readers. It will also represent a point of reference to reflect on the role of literature in sustainable development, social cohesion and the promotion of intercultural dialogue.
The Madrid Book Fair 2025 will be held from 30 May to 15 June in El Retiro Park.
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