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Bogotá, March 31, 2026. As part of the 38th Bogotá International Book Fair (FILBo), which will take place from April 21 to May 4, 2026, the Fellowship Program will bring together in Bogotá five publishing professionals from India, the Czech Republic, Germany, Brazil, and Estonia. From April 26 to 28, at the Hilton Corferias Hotel, these fellows will take part in a specialized agenda focused on professional exchange, rights negotiations, and strengthening international networks for the circulation of books.

Such has been the reception and growth of this initiative that, this year, 210 applicants registered for the program, which grants a fellowship to attend FILBo, explore the Colombian publishing market, and establish exchanges aimed at publishing Colombian authors in their respective countries through their publishing houses.

The five invited participants in this edition are:

• Prashant Pathak (India): Director of English-language publishing development at Giunti Editore S.P.A. His work focuses on co-editions, rights development, and international partnerships, with a professional presence spanning Italy, the United States, and India.

• Pavlína Juracková (Czech Republic): Editor and Head of International Rights at Paseka. A specialist in Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian Studies, she has been promoting the publisher’s catalogue internationally since 2022 and has participated in major book fairs such as Guadalajara, Shanghai, Madrid, London, Bologna, and Frankfurt, among others.

• Roland Heinrich Spahr (Germany): International Rights Manager at Libra Kitab, a publishing house specialized in children’s literature. With a background in International Relations, he drives editorial projects aimed at expanding the global reach of literature for young readers and promoting the cultural and educational value of reading.

• Luiza Lewkowicz (Brazil): Editorial Manager at DBA Literatura, the literary imprint of DBA Editora based in São Paulo. She oversees international rights acquisition, as well as the editing and promotion of fiction and narrative non-fiction works. Her catalogue brings together contemporary voices from world literature with a strong presence of Latin American authors.

• Mari Laan (Estonia): Editor and founder of Toledo Publishing. A translator from Spanish into Estonian of authors such as Pío Baroja, Javier Cercas, Aurora Venturini, and Valeria Luiselli, she is a member of the Translators’ Section of the Estonian Writers’ Union and holds a PhD in Cultural Studies from Tallinn University.

According to Adriana Ángel, Director of FILBo for the Colombian Book Chamber, “the Fellowship Program is a strategic space where publishers, scouts, literary agents, distributors, and librarians can establish key agreements for the global circulation of books, translations, distribution channels, and rights. These connections are essential to expanding the presence of our books in new markets and strengthening the international projection of Colombian and Latin American literature.”

The program, which is part of FILBo’s Professional Days within its business track, aims to foster sustainable commercial relationships between international stakeholders in the publishing sector and their Colombian counterparts. Through this initiative, the Colombian Book Chamber and Corferias invite experienced professionals from the Spanish-language rights market each year to gain first-hand insight into the country’s publishing output and establish long-term partnerships.

During their stay, the fellows will also take part in additional activities organized by the Fair, including talks, panel discussions, and networking spaces with key players in Colombia’s book industry.

“FILBo has established a professional platform that directly connects different stakeholders in the international publishing industry,” says Tatiana Rudd, FILBo Project Manager for Corferias. “The Fellowship Program enables strategic dialogues that strengthen book circulation, cultural exchange, and business opportunities between Colombia, Latin America, and the rest of the world.”

Press Information and Contacts:

Diego León Giraldo
Head of Press, FILBo 2026
Mobile: +57 310 341 7767
Prensacorferias@corferias.com 

María Juliana Bernal
Press Coordinator, FILBo 2026
Mobile: +57 318 683 4314
mariajulianabernal@fabiolamorera.co 

Sara Martínez
Head of International Press, FILBo 2026
Mobile: +57 311 578 8302
smartinez@fabiolamorera.co