In November 2022, The International Authors Forum (IAF) held their first in person events at the Guadalajara Book Fair 2022 (FIL). IAF’s presence at FIL Guadalajara, the largest Spanish-speaking book fair in the world, demonstrates the growing awareness of IAF work and the importance of the issue campaigned on.
IAF hosted 11 events in partnership with the Regional Centre for Book Development in Latin America (CERLALC) focussing on authors and the difficulties they face making a living form their work.
During the book fair, IAF representatives discussed history of the organisation, as well as its role in supporting and advancing the rights of authors worldwide.
IAF shared its expertise on visual artists and the protection of their legal rights. They also discussed the Artists’ Resale Right and how it remunerates creators. IAF outlined its ten principles for fair contracts for visual artists, which offer illustrators advice on negotiating effectively and attaining fairer contract-terms.
Alongside their member organisation, the Mexican Association of Literary Translators (AMETLI), IAF discussed translators’ rights and their working conditions. This was the first time issues affecting translators had been raised at FIL Guadalajara.
Finally, with publishing sector becoming increasingly digital, IAF hosted a panel on the future of publishing, focusing on new opportunities for book commerce and marketing routes in the digital era. The talk focused on the future of copyright online and stressed that technological developments cannot advance faster than copyright-related rights.
IAF will continue its efforts to exchange knowledge and collaborate with Spanish-speaking authors’ organisations in Latin America, supporting them in their fight for the recognition of their rights and to strengthen the position of authors internationally.