# Santiago International Book Fair

The Santiago International Book Fair (Spanish: Feria Internacional del Libro de Santiago, FILSA) is an annual book fair held in Santiago, Chile, during October–December. It is organised by the Chilean Chamber for Books (Cámara Chilena del Libro).

## History

The Santiago Book Fair was created in 1981 as a national event, an initiative of then mayor of Santiago, Carlos Bombal. It was originally held in Parque Forestal, behind the National Museum of Fine Arts; from 1989 it has been held in the Estación Mapocho Cultural Center.
In 1990 the event was expanded to become an international book fair and in 2011, for the first time, it featured a section dedicated to electronic books. That year, a total of 260,000 people visited the book fair, with more than 500 cultural activities, 400 writers and more than 700 publishers represented in more than 10,000 metres squared of exhibits. In 2013, more than 300,000 people visited the fair.
From 1997 until 2012, each year a country was invited as honoured guest, with their literature and authors featured in exhibits. In 2013 and 2014, the fair featured the author as special guest.
From 2003, in the same place where the National Book Fair was held, the Parque Forestal Book Fair is held during January (summertime in Santiago), in the Juan Sebastian Bach Plaza/Museo de Arte Contemporáneo. This event is free.

## Book fairs by year

| No. | Date | Theme | Honoured guest(s) |
| National Book Fair ||||
| I | 20 November – 8 December 1981 | — | — |
| II | 26 November – 12 December 1982 | — | — |
| III | 24 November – 11 December 1983 | — | — |
| IV | 22 November – 9 December 1984 | — | — |
| V | 21 November – 8 December de 1985 | — | — |
| VI | 20 November – 8 December 1986 | — | — |
| VII | 19 November – 8 December 1987 | — | — |
| VIII | 24 November – 11 December 1988 | — | — |
| IX | 2 – 19 November 1989 | The transition | — |
| International Book Fair ||||
| X | 8 – 25 November 1990 | Communication | — |
| XI | 21 November – 8 December 1991 | — | — |
| XII | 5 October – 1 November 1992 | — | — |
| XIII | 18 November – 5 December 1993 | Let's meet at the station | — |
| XIV | 17 November – 4 December 1994 | — | — |
| XV | 14 November – 3 December 1995 | — | — |
| XVI | 21 November – 8 December 1996 | — | — |
| XVII | 21 November – 8 December 1997 | Tell me something that doesn't die | Ecuador |
| XVIII | 27 October – 8 November 1998 | Where is this Titanic heading (man in the cyberworld) | Cuba |
| XIX | 26 October – 7 November 1999 | The value of the word | Canada |
| XX | 30 October – 12 November 2000 | Homage to a century | Peru |
| XXI | 23 October – 4 November 2001 | The passion of reading | France |
| XXII | 22 October – 3 November 2002 | Myths and legends | Uruguay |
| XXIII | 28 October – 9 November 2003 | The book: Humankind’s memory and footprint | Europe |
| XXIV | 1 – 14 November 2004 | Libraries: the ark of humankind | Mexico |
| XXV | 25 October – 6 November 2005 | A family celebration | Spain |
| XXVI | 24 October – 5 November 2006 | May no one be left out | Peru |
| XXVII | 23 October – 4 November 2007 | — | Brazil |
| XXVIII | 31 October – 16 November 2008 | — | Colombia Chile |
| XXIX | 30 October – 15 November 2009 | The value of the word | Argentina Chile |
| XXX | 29 October – 14 November 2010 | FILSA in the Bicentenary | Chile |
| XXXI | 28 October – 13 November 2011 | A meeting place | Bolivia |
| XXXII | 25 October – 11 November 2012 | A festival of books | Ecuador |
| XXXIII | 25 October – 10 November 2013 | A festival of readers | "The author" |
| XXXIV | 23 October – 9 November 2014 | Santiago is full of authors | "The author" |
| XXXV | 22 October – 8 November 2015 | | Nordic countries |
| XXXVI | 20 October – 6 November 2016 | | Mexico |
| XXXVII | 26 October – 12 November 2017 | | Italy |
| XXXVIII | 25 October – 11 November 2018 | | Peru |