The Guadalajara International Book Fair, better known as the FIL (from its Spanish name: Feria Internacional del Libro de Guadalajara) is the most important annual event of its kind in the Spanish-speaking world, and the second largest book fair in the world after Frankfurt's. Created in 1987, the FIL is put on by the University of Guadalajara. It is held every year, starting on the last Saturday in November and continuing for nine days, in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.
The purpose of the FIL is to provide an optimal business environment for the book-industry professionals and exhibitors who attend the fair, and for the reading public eager to meet authors and pick up the latest entries in the market.
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As a way of rewarding and honouring literary publishing, the FIL awards the following annual prizes and honours:
Since 1993, the FIL has invited a country or region to be the guest of honor, providing each an opportunity to display the best of its cultural and literary heritage. Beginning with that year, the guests of honor have been: Colombia (1993), New Mexico (USA) (1994), Venezuela (1995), Canada (1996), Argentina (1997), Puerto Rico (1998), Chile (1999), Spain (2000), Brazil (2001), Cuba (2002), Quebec (2003), Catalonian culture (2004), Peru (2005), Andalusia (2006), Colombia (2007), Italy (2008), Los Angeles (2009), Castile and León (2010) and Germany (2011).
| Year | Guest of Honor Country |
|---|---|
| 1993 | Colombia |
| 1994 | New Mexico, USA |
| 1995 | Venezuela |
| 1996 | Canada |
| 1997 | Argentina |
| 1998 | Puerto Rico |
| 1999 | Chile |
| 2000 | Spain |
| 2001 | Brazil |
| 2002 | Cuba |
| 2003 | Quebec, Canada |
| 2004 | Catalonian Culture, Spain |
| 2005 | Peru |
| 2006 | Andalusian Culture |
| 2007 | Colombia |
| 2008 | Italy |
| 2009 | Los Angeles |
| 2010 | Castile and León |
| 2011 | Germany |
The current managing director of the Guadalajara International Book Fair is Nubia Edith Macías Navarro, and its chairman is Raúl Padilla López.
At the 2005 fair:
At the 2006 fair: