PH RETURNS TO LONDON BOOK FAIR

IN preparation for the country’s stint as guest of honor in 2025 at the world’s biggest book fair to be held in Germany, the Philippines will return this month to the London Book Fair (LBF), where the National Book Development Board (NBDB) was able to previously sell the rights of several Filipino books.

The LBF will be held from March 12-14 at the Olympia London Exhibition Centre.

Among the Philippines’ special curation for the LBF this year are National

Artist Ricky Lee’s “For B (or How Love Devastates Four out of Every Five of Us)” (The Writers Studio) and the 41st National Book Award finalist for Best Anthology in Filipino, “Rurok: Comics & Art Anthology” (Komiket Inc.).

The NBDB said the curation also features a crop of recently published contemporary fiction from the regions, queer coming-of-age novels, and fresh takes on folklore and mythology, which the country hopes to introduce to more publishers and readers in the English-speaking market and diasporic populations.

In addition to a collective country stand showcasing Filipino-authored books, the Philippine contingent will also hold various programs, including a talk on March 13 at the International Markets Theatre titled “A Habit of Shores: Translating Across Seas from the Philippines to the UK,” by the 2022 The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) awardee and translation rights specialist Kristian Sendon Cordero, and the NBDB’s head of policy and research, Kevin Ansel Dy.

On March 15, the NBDB will launch Dr. Jaya Jacobo’s “Arasahas: Mga Tula” and Gene Alcantara’s “Mga Awit sa Huling Pagkikita,” as well as a Rizal literary tour at the Primrose Hill Community Library.

The LBF has been a key global marketplace for publishers looking to sell and distribute content across various media since it was founded in 1971. Last year, at least 1,026 exhibitors and an estimated 20,000 visitors attended the event for trade and networking opportunities.

During past editions of the book fair, the rights of several Filipino titles were sold. These include award-winning novelist Gina Apostol’s “The Revolution According to Raymundo Mata” (Anvil Publishing) and children’s book “Pitong Tsinelas” (Tahanan Books).

The Philippine delegation’s participation at the 2024 LBF also coincides with its preparations for the Frankfurter Buchmesse in 2025.

The NBDB said this will further boost its international presence as an emerging content capital in Southeast Asia.