Without fanfare and inconspicuously, Joan Manuel Serrat sat among the guests at Barcelona City Hall, where he calmly listened to the program the city will offer during the Guadalajara International Book Fair (FIL).
Barcelona is the guest of honor at the literary event, which will take place from November 29 to December 7, 2025.
Marisol Schulz, director of the FIL, was the first to express her gratitude for the legendary singer-songwriter’s presence: “Joan Manuel, thank you, thank you very much. We already knew each other; we had the opportunity in Guadalajara, and now your country, your other country, which is Mexico, will welcome you again.”
Serrat thanked and hugged the director of the Guadalajara Book Fair, who continued: “Half a century after the literary boom, today the relationship between Barcelona and Guadalajara is solid and fertile. One of the major goals of this year’s Book Fair is precisely to strengthen that bond, to renew the bridges between Barcelona and Latin America, and especially Mexico.”
The director said she is convinced there is no better setting to demonstrate this than the fair, “where dialogue between cultures occurs naturally and vibrantly. It’s a huge celebration centered around books, and that’s what attracts us. Our fair attracts thousands of visitors who come to experience the magic of this unique gathering.”
At the end of the program presentation, Joan Manuel Serrat took selfies, hugged, and greeted some friends. He attracted attention; everyone wanted a photo with him.
