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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Legarda: Filipino imagination to take center stage at the 2025 Frankfurt Book Fair

Legarda: Filipino imagination to take center stage at the 2025 Frankfurt Book Fair

Published Oct 13, 2025 06:00 pm

At A Glance

  • Sen. Loren Legarda, credited for her role in securing the Philippines' participation in the Frankfurt Book Fair since 2015, said the "wait is finally over" as the country will now be able to participate in one of the oldest and largest book fair in the world, an international trademark and a model for cultural events.

The Philippines is set to make history as a guest of honor at the 77th Frankfurt Book Fair  2025 in Germany, a rare distinction that puts Filipino creativity at the center of global literary conversations.
Sen. Loren Legarda, credited for her role in securing the Philippines' participation in the Frankfurt Book Fair since 2015, said the “wait is finally over” as the country will now be able to participate in one of the oldest and largest book fair in the world, and known to be an international trademark and a model for cultural events.
Legarda said the Philippine Pavilion—a 2,000-square-meter space at the fairgrounds and the country’s main showcase—will be a specially designed area within the Frankfurt Book Fair highlighting the Philippines’ literary, artistic, and cultural identity.
The Philippine delegation tapped designer Stanley Ruiz who used local materials like kapis, piña, and bamboo, combined with modern design for the pavilion.
The Philippine Pavilion will carry the theme: “The imagination peoples the air,” which stemmed from Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere, which was first published in Germany in 1887.
Like in the novel, Legarda said Philippines will present its literature as more than just art but also a space to express national identity.
“The imagination peoples the air, and we are ready to breathe new life into the world's understanding of what Philippine literature means,” Legarda said.
“Ours is not just beautiful stories, but essential ones that the world needs to hear, engage with, understand, and appreciate,” the senator further stressed.
Beyond the Pavilion, the Philippine National Stand will also feature thousands of titles for international rights sales, while the “Jeepney Journey” on Rossmarkt Square transforms a jeep into a mobile stage for workshops and cultural exchange, the lawmaker said.
The country’s pavilion will also include exhibitions, performances, and film screenings across Frankfurt.
Legarda will deliver the keynote message at the Opening Ceremony of the Frankfurt Book Fair, as the visionary behind the Philippines' journey in becoming a Guest of Honour.

Related Tags

Frankfurt Book Fair Loren Legarda Filipino culture Philippine-German relations
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