Hay festival Querétaro announces its 4th event and activity program for 2019

Hay festival Querétaro announces its 4th event and activity program for 2019

The 4th edition of the Hay Festival Querétaro will be held on September 5 - 8 in the capital city of Queretaro, with over 110 international guests from different disciplines.

Writers: such as Michael Ondaajte (Canada), Diamela Eltit, Alejandra Costamagna, Lina Meruane (Chile), Eva Baltasar, Elvira Sastre (Spain), Antonio Ortuño, Yuri Herrera, Vivian Abenshushan, Yásnaya Aguilar or Elmer Mendoza (Mexico) 
•    Nobel Prize Juan Manuel Santos, (Colombia)
•    Journalism: Jon Lee Anderson (USA), Pablo Ordaz, Jacobo García (Spain), Julio Hernández, Daniela Rea, Pablo Ferri, Laura Castellanos, Julio Patán, (Mexico), Oscar Martínez (El Salvador) and the great journalist and cartoonist Joe Sacco (Malta) 

Current figures: Tatiana Clouthier, Diego Luna (México), Izzeldine Abuelaish (Palestine) Ben Rhodes, (USA) – former adviser to Barack Obama – and Baltasar Garzón (Spain) – the lawyer of Julian Assange– lawyer Julian Assange– 
•    Science: Roberto Emparan (Spain) – black holes and space – and physicist Gerardo Herrera Corral (México)
•    Art and illustration: Trino, Bef, Renata Mtfz (Mexico), Dr. Alderete (Argentina), Elisa Arguilé (Spain)
•    Musicians in conversations and concerts: U-God (USA) – The Wu-Tang Clan –, Santiago Auserón (Spain) – Radio Futura, Juan Perro –, and Lol Tolhurst (United Kingdom) – The Cure –
•    Essay: Erling Kagge (Norway) – will discuss silence and the power of walking –philosopher Wolfram Eilenberger (Germany) – will address topics on the philosophers who changed our way of understanding the world–,
•    Ticket sales and bookings are now open through the website www.hayfestival.org/queretaro.

Hay Festival Querétaro is back for a fourth consecutive year to offer visitors a stimulating cultural program full of international participants, inviting us to understand current events, to learn about literary novelties today and to enjoy the best concerts, exhibits and shows to be held on September 5 -8 in the capital city of Queretaro.

Amy Clemitshaw, Deputy Ambassador of the British Embassy in México; Luis Nava Guerrero, Mayor of the city of Querétaro; María García Holley, Director of Arts, British Council México; Adolfo Arditti, Executive Director of Clients and Brand, SURA Asset Management Mexico; Cristina Fuentes La Roche, International Director of the Hay Festival and Izara García, Coordinator of the Hay Festival for Latin America, announced today the celebration of the Hay Festival Quéretaro 2019 and the program of activities of this magnificent event.

This year, the great cartoonist and journalist Joe Sacco (Malta), author of legendary graphic novels such as Palestine or The Great War will attend the event, as well as worldwide-renowned Canadian writer Michael Ondaajte, author of the book on which The English Patient is based; Nobel Peace Prize laureate Juan Manuel Santos, who will talk about his new book The Battle for Peace; Ben Rhodes (USA) will tell us about the state of affairs in the United States, following his experience as an adviser to Barack Obama; Tatiana Clouthier (México) will share her intimate elections campaign diary; actor Diego Luna (México) will talk to British journalist Gaby Wood about film and activism; physicist Roberto Emparan (Spain) will enlighten us about the complexity of black holes and space; and Diamela Eltit from Chile, will talk about literature and share her work as one of the most respected and celebrated Spanish-speaking authors of today.

Hay Festival Queretaro brings us closer to the best international literature through the critically acclaimed and awarded writers from all over the world who will attend. The program explores the talent of guests such as Lina Meruane (Chile), who will present her new book; we will learn about the novel Permafrost by Spanish Eva Baltasar; Dylan Moore and Alys Conran will talk about their Welsh literature; Katherena Vermette and Janet Rogers (Canada), together with Yásnaya Elena Aguilar (Mexico) will share their work as writers in indigenous languages; Santiago Gamboa (Colombia) will talk about his new novel and María Fernando Ampuero (Ecuador) will present her new storybook; Sandrone Dazieri (Italy) brings a thriller novel to the festival; Alejandra Costamagna (Chile) will present her new book; British Rhidan Brook, author of the novel on which the recent film The Day to Come is based, will talk about his latest book in Spanish; and Peruvian Karina Pacheco recovers her novel Lluvia.

It is also an honor to have Mexican authors presenting new work such as Antonio Ortuño, Yuri Herrera, Luis Felipe Fabre, Vivian Abenshushan, Isabel Zapata, Elmer Mendoza, Luis Jorge Boone or Yael Weiss as guests, in addition to Mexican writers such as Rosa Beltrán, Eduardo Rabasa, Carlos Velasquez, Gabriela Jauregui, Bernardo Esquinca, Elvira Liceaga, Alberto Chimal and Jorge Comensal.
Science will also be featured at the festival, through Spanish Roberto Emparan, author of Illuminating the Dark Side of the Universe, and Mexican physicist Gerardo Herrera Corral.

The music program of the festival celebrates another year with exclusive concerts from top international music stars who will offer their most intimate side in conversations: US U-God, member of the legendary rap band The Wu-Tang Clan, who will also present his autobiography; Santiago Auserón (Spain), philosopher and vocalist of Radio Futura, who will act as Juan Perro; and Lol Tolhurst, the British founder of The Cure, who will hold an acoustic concert.

We reflect on the very relevant movement #metoo with a conversation by María Fernanda Ampuero, Gabriela Jauregui, Lina Meruane and Isabel Zapata; we offer a first analysis of the new government with journalists such as Julio Hernández (México); Pablo Ordaz (Spain) and Jon Lee Anderson (USA) will discuss 21st century nationalisms; Julio Patán and Alejandro Rosas will present their book Mexico Bizarro II; Daniela Rea (Mexico) and Pablo Ferri (Spain) will talk about their exhaustive exploration of the Mexican army in La Tropa;  Laura Castellanos (Mexico) will share her work as an investigative journalist; Oscar Martínez (El Salvador) and Jacobo García (Spain) will present a very special journalistic partnership between two international media outlets; Sarah Churchwell (United Kingdom) explores the American dream; Diego Luna and Diego Rabasa, together with activist Brenda Rangel, will talk with Queretaro journalist Claudia Yvonne Hernández about the tragedy of the 30,000 missing persons in México.

German Wolfrang Eilenberger will talk about philosophy and Norwegian Erling Kagge will share his adventures as an explorer. Judge Baltasar Garzón (Spain) will recount his fascinating track record as an expert in human right crimes, and Palestinian activist Izzeldine Abuelaish will discuss the need to resolve existing conflicts such as Israel and Palestine.

Entertainment, exhibitions and cinema will have a place in the program through a poetic reading by Spanish Elvira Sastre and Andrea Valbuena; Frenchman Frederic Dumond will act in an AV and literary performance; and the acclaimed Hay Ilustrado makes a comeback, with illustrators such as Trino, Bef, Renata Mtfz (México), Dr. Alderete (Argentina) and Spanish Elisa Arguilé showcasing their talent in drawing under the leadership of Laura García (Spain).

The great Mexican photographer Antonio Turok will participate with an exhibit on display at the Regional Museum; In addition, Swedish and Mexican photographers reflect on fatherhood in the exhibit New Models, New Stories – Swedish Dads and Mexican Dads, which will be housed by the Museo de la Ciudad.

With regards to film, we will present the films L'acabbadora (Italy), The Next Day (United Kingdom) based on the book by author Rhidian Brook, the documentary The Code presented by Baltasar Garzón and the series on indigenous radio stations Ecos Indigenas, La Voz de la Diversisad, a co-production of the INPI – National Institute of Indigenous Peoples – and Canal Once, where they showcase the work done to inform and communicate the indigenous population, six radio stations part of the System of Cultural Indigenous Broadcasters (SRCI).

With over 95 scheduled activities, from exclusive concerts, to exhibits or workshops for students, the Hay Program will fill the city with events in the city center landmarks, such as the Teatro de la República, the Cineteca, the Guerrero Garden or the City Museum; In addition, this year the program extends to other districts beyond the historic center, and will include an extensive program for kids (Hay Festivalito) and the Hay Joven, with activities exclusive to students. 

In addition to activities in city orphanages, different children's and youth authors will act in the Hay Festivalito: Mexicans Benito Taibo will present his final list of sci-fi books, Trino and Luigi Amara will attend with their graphic novel El Paraiso de las Ratas, Gina Jaramillo with El Pequeño Andrés, Raquel Castro and Alberto Chimal with How to Write Your Own History, in addition to Celso Roman from Colombia; and Pablo Albo, Leire Bilbao and Elisa Arguilé from Spain.

The Hay Joven festival includes activities for students, with the universities UNAM, ITEMS, UAQ, TECMilenio and Anáhuac: with Laura García presenting Funderelele; the presentation of the anthology Elipsis; Eduardo Rabasa discussing George Orwell; or the BBC journalists Lucia Blasco, Alberto Nájar and Juan Carlos Pérez offering a workshop that we hold for the 3rd consecutive year at the request of the university students.

The festival extends its magic to the city of Monterrey, through a partnership with the Autonomous University of Nuevo León, organizing outdoor activities on September 5, 6, 9 and 10, with Izzeldine Abuerlaish, Baltasar Garzón, Eva Baltasar, Elvira Sastre and Andrea Balbuena as speakers.

In addition, we will celebrate the 2nd edition of the Hay Forum Dallas, in this american city, in partnership with The Wild Detectives bookstore, on September 7 and 8, with U-God, Luis Felipe Fabre, Jon Lee Anderson and other guests who will be participating together with authors in activities at the bookstore and the city universities.

This 4th edition of the festival is a reality thanks to the support of multiple partnerships. Our main sponsor is the city of Querétaro, which enables the development of this project, and SURA as a regional sponsor, which works closely with the festivals. 

SURA is pleased to support once again an environment that promotes knowledge, dialogue and exchange that enriches the Latin American cultural identity and is in tune with the goals of the SURA Group, which is to contribute to the creation of well-being and sustainable development.

Hay in Latin America. Our global partners include the British Council, that supports the participation of British speakers and are also creators of Ellipsis, the educational program for future editors and writers who is run in alliance with the Hay Festival. And the BBC, that make a special coverage of the festival and its impact over the internet, reaching out to viewers online around the world.

The most read Spanish newspaper, El País, is our partner in Latin America, organizing in Queretaro a talk with Juan Manuel Santos; and Canal Once is back with its book club Leo con Once, hosted by Miguel de la Cruz, with Pablo Albo and Lina Meruane as guests.

Acción Cultural Española and AECID are two organizations from the Spanish government that support the participation of guests from Spain. We have the generous support of the embassies of Colombia, USA, France and Sweden, and Extepare (Basque country), the Italian Institute of Culture and Norla (Noruega).

Additional institutions that endorse the Hay Festival include Eccles Foundation and Kew Gardens (UK) and Blue Metropolis from Canada.

Our commitment to the publishing industry continues year after year: after the activities of the festival program, we will host book signings and sale, as we believe in the transformative and educational power of reading. We are thankful to our partnering publishers and distributors, especially Almadía, Antelope, Colophope, Era, Planeta, Penguin Random House and Sixth Floor.

The talks of the Hay festivals in Spanish and English can be accessed anywhere in the world with Hay Player in hayfestival.org/hayplayer through this new subscription service that offers video or audio recordings from the best authors worldwide for 10 euros a year. 

Tickets to the festival events are available for sale at www.hayfestival/queretaro. 25% of the capacity at each event is available for students free of charge.