May 13, 2025
UNAM had a prominent presence at the seventh edition of the University of Chicago Book Fair, held last week with a strong turnout and a successful program of literary activities.
The fair's inauguration took place at the UNAM Chicago facilities and included the participation of the organizing institutions: El BeiSmAn, The University of Chicago, UNAM Chicago, the Cervantes Institute of Chicago, and the Federation of Michoacán Clubs in Illinois (FEDECMI).
Throughout the two-day event, UNAM representatives actively participated in various panels: The Director of Literature and Reading Promotion, Julia Santibañez took part in the panel "When Literature Becomes Protest and Protest Becomes Literature," which explored the transformative power of the written word in social and political contexts. The Director of the Center for Teaching for Foreigners (CEPE), Ana Elsa Pérez, joined the panel "We All Count: Latinx Children’s Literature in the United States," dedicated to representation and diversity in children's literature.
The Secretary for Outreach and Digital Projects of the Cultural Dissemination Office, Myrna Ortega and the editor of UNAM Internacional magazine, Ximena Gómez, participated in the panel "Digital Platforms: Between the Ephemeral and Literary Immortality," which reflected on the challenges and opportunities of literary creation in digital environments. Meanwhile, the Academic Secretary of UNAM Chicago, Erika Erdely, was part of the panel "Heritage Spanish: Decline or Cultural Future," which addressed the preservation and transmission of Spanish among Latino communities in the United States.
Through its participation in this forum, UNAM reaffirmed its commitment to promoting literature, culture, and academic dialogue beyond its borders, strengthening its role as a cultural leader on the international stage.
