While the last days of Filbo 2023 are celebrated, which closes next Tuesday, May 2, in Bogotá, Colombia, it is important to highlight the work of the person who took over as director of the Fair before the start of the 35th edition.

According to her LinkedIn profile, Adriana Ángel Forero is a communicator and public relations officer who has more than 14 years of experience in internal and external communication, with excellent skills in the development and implementation of communication strategies, as well as for administration of corporate social networks with analysis of results.

Ángel Forero stated after her appointment last November:

I feel that all roads led me to Filbo.

Passion for Books

Highlighting her love for literature, Ángel Forero, who had been working in the Fair's communications area, knew in advance the challenges of this event that has positioned itself as a benchmark for the international publishing industry.

“I landed at the press agency that supports the fair. Fabiola Morera opened the doors for me and from there I began to manage the communications of the event. This experience allowed me to have a unique vision from the perspective of the press. Then I was part of the Fondo de Cultura Económica, Colombian subsidiary, as Communications coordinator, to finally reach the Colombian Book Chamber eight years ago as communications director,” added Ángel Forero.

The director remembers in a special way how in 2004, while working for the first time for the Fair in the Madre Josefa del Castillo pavilion, where she had the role of curator of that room, she discovered her conviction to be part of the organization that today, after 19 years, she directs.

Sabemos que hoy inicia la #FILBoXAhora 2023 y por eso nuestra invitada especial Adriana Ángel Forero, directora de la @FILBogota nos habla sobre el desafío de crear una experiencia enriquecedora para los visitantes del evento.

Toda la información #Ahora pic.twitter.com/RzgK9DmWbT

— Capital Ahora (@capitalahora) April 18, 2023

New proposals

To begin her term in charge of Filbo, the new director proposed a diverse, inclusive and innovative agenda for this year, where the great challenge has been for readers to optimize her visit beyond a rich literary experience.

During the course of the Fair, Ángel Forero has been leading a team of ten women whose various professions have managed to give a variety of visions to the cultural encounter, while highlighting the extensive list of writers, lecturers and guests who have been part of Filbo and the many that are yet to be presented, among which stands out:

• Canadian of Vietnamese origin Kim Thúy
• Argentinian Cecilia Szperling
• Nigerian Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
• Colombians Amalia Andrade, Andrea Cote, Carolina Sanín, Andrea Salgado, Piedad Bonnett, and Pilar Quintana, among many others.

Ángel Forero has also sought throughout the Fair to give special value to all the elements and characters behind the staging of this important international event, such as the actors from the book chain who are present at the commercial sample, in the cultural and professional programming; the public and private allies that come together to make the fair possible; and the visitors who each year wait for these 15 days.

“Book fairs are the natural scenarios for the circulation of the book and the rapprochement with the readers; bookstores are the spaces that permanently materialize the actions of the sector throughout the year, thanks to their editorial and cultural offer,” highlighted Ángel Forero.