The Guadalajara International Book Fair in Mexico will be held between Nov. 29 and Dec. 7 and the Taiwan Pavilion will put on display 449 selected children's comic books and illustrations by Taiwanese authors on the theme of "DESCUBRA TAIWAN (Discover Taiwan).”
The Guadalajara fair in Mexico is the second largest book fair in the world, and the largest book exhibition in the Spanish-speaking world. Notably, Spanish has surpassed English in 2013 to become the second most-common language around the globe.
The Ministry of Culture participated in the Mexican event for the first time in 2013, with children's picture books and illustrations by world-famous Taiwanese artist Jimmy Liao (幾米). This year, renowned illustrator Page Tsou (鄒駿昇) will continue building Taiwan's reputation for original and high-quality creative works. He will also present a speech titled "Working in Progress” on Nov. 30.
Many Taiwanese businesses dealing in children's books, cartoons, educational materials, and multimedia also look forward to establishing copyright exchanges. With the determination to break new ground in the Spanish-speaking world, seven Taiwanese publishing houses will exhibit their products at the Publishing House Section of the Guadalajara International Book Fair, and the Taiwan Pavilion will also provide subsidies for four copyright professionals to take part in the exhibition.
In regards to the expansive Spanish-speaking market, the Ministry of Culture hopes to achieve three objectives — introducing Taiwanese literature and publications to Spanish-speaking audiences, establishing the complete package of copyright sales, and strengthening the linkage with international publishing networks.
Therefore, with assistance, 49 publishing houses and 449 original works will participate in the Guadalajara International Book Fair, covering the new digital trend of electronic books, high-quality children's books, and selected comics, to promote Taiwan's international image and foster interdisciplinary publishing cooperation. The opening of the Taiwan Pavilion will be held at the noon of Dec. 1.
Illustrator Page Tsou (far right) has not only won 28 international awards over the past seven years for his unique artistic style, he also became the first Taiwan-based author to enter the Spanish-speaking market with his picture book, "El Soldado de Plomo (勇敢的小錫兵, The Tin Soldier)," released by publishing house FUNDACION SM in 2012.
The Taiwan Pavilion at the 2014 Guadalajara International Book Fair.