The Diplomat
The 58th edition of the Valladolid Book Fair, which will be held from May 30 to June 8, 2025, in the city’s Plaza Mayor, will feature Peru as its guest country.
The selection of Peru as the guest country responds to the desire of the Department of Education and Culture of the Valladolid City Council, promoter of the fair, and the Booksellers and Publishers Associations, which collaborate in the organization, to continue exploring Spanish-speaking cultures, highlight the diversity and richness of the language, and foster cultural exchange between nations united by the Spanish language.
“By choosing Peru, we want to highlight its enormous contribution to Spanish literature and the vitality of its literary tradition, from pre-Hispanic chronicles to the most influential contemporary authors,” stated Irene Carvajal, Councilor for Education and Culture. “Furthermore, this invitation strengthens the cultural ties between Valladolid and Latin America, fostering literary dialogue and offering readers a broader view of Spanish literature,” the City Council added, via the City Council’s website.
The organizers have taken into account the cultural ties between Valladolid and Peru, which have “deep historical roots.” In the 16th century, Valladolid was the city where the work ‘Grammatica o arte de la lengua general de los indios de los reinos del Perú’ (‘Grammar or the Art of the General Language of the Indians of the Kingdoms of Peru’) by the Dominican friar Fray Domingo de Santo Tomás was printed in 1560.
This was the first grammar of Quechua, a fundamental tool for the understanding and preservation of the Quechua language, spoken by millions of people in Peru and other Andean countries. “This pioneering publication reflects Valladolid’s role as a bridge of communication and understanding between Hispanic and indigenous cultures, and today becomes a symbol of the dialogue and mutual respect that the Book Fair seeks to continue promoting,” the City Council added.
