Mexican President’s Initiative Distributes 2.5 Million Books to Youth in 14 Latin American Countries

Original article: Proyecto impulsado por Presidenta de México distribuyó 2,5 millones de libros a jóvenes de 14 países de América Latina

The Mexican Ambassador to Chile, Laura Moreno, along with officials and representatives from the ministries of Culture, Education, and Foreign Affairs, officially launched the «25 for 25» project, which will distribute 2.5 million books to young people across 14 countries in Latin America.

This initiative is spearheaded by the Mexican government and its President, Claudia Sheinbaum, in collaboration with the Institute for the Return of Stolen Goods to the People. The objective is to facilitate cross-country book donations.

As explained by Rafael López, the director of the Fondo de Cultura Económica (FCE) in Chile, «the idea behind this initiative is to return to the original model of Quimantú in Chile and the creation of the Culture Fund—reading should be appealing and definitely not exclusive in terms of cost.»

López further stated that beyond cultural infrastructure, there was a need for a collection of books based on the old model that encourages individuals to have their own copy and exchange it with peers or people of different ages, emphasizing that «Latin America is not reading Latin America.» This was articulated in an interview with Radio U. de Chile.

The distribution of the books commenced on Wednesday, December 17, with simultaneous openings in 200 locations across Latin America, where the boxes of donated books were unveiled. In Chile, this event took place at the Ercilla Room of the National Library.

Mexican Ambassador to Chile remarked, «This project represents a concrete effort for multilateral cooperation,» highlighting that the essential collection of works being distributed serves as «a true literary map of our region.»

Paco Ignacio Taibo II, the general director of FCE, commented that the goal is for young readers to exchange books through clubs and reading rooms established in various places in Latin America: «The expectation is that we change the reading habits of thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of adolescents,» emphasized the writer.

27 Titles

A few weeks ago, the Government of Mexico, through the Fondo de Cultura Económica (FCE), presented the 27 literary works that make up the 25 for 25 collection, aimed at young people aged 15 to 30 in 14 Latin American countries. The titles being given away are as follows:

The books to be distributed include:

1. Juan Gelman — How to Shoot Against Death.
2. Nona Fernández — Space Invaders.
3. Manuel Rojas — The Glass of Milk and Other Stories.
4. Raúl Zurita — Poems.
5. Piedad Bonnett — The Privileges of Oblivion.
6. Gabriel García Márquez — Operation Carlota.
7. Roberto Fernández Retamar — Poems.
8. Miguel Donoso Pareja — The Death of Tyrone Power.
9. Roque Dalton — The Forbidden Stories of Thumbelina.
10. Dante Liano — Requiem for Teresa.
11. Alaíde Foppa — Spring Winds with a foreword by Elena Poniatowska.
12. Miguel Ángel Asturias — Weekend in Guatemala.
13. Carlos Montemayor — War in Paradise.
14. Fabrizio Mejía Madrid — Shots in the Dark.
15. Adela Fernández — Sleepwalkers.
16. Guadalupe Dueñas — Stories.
17. Amparo Dávila — Concrete Music.
18. Sergio Ramírez — The Fox.
19. José María Arguedas — Water.
20. Blanca Varela — Villain Song.
21. Eduardo Galeano — The Wonderful Brief Life of Ernesto Guevara.
22. Mario Benedetti — Geographies.
23. Luis Britto García — Speak Word.
24. Osvaldo Bayer — The Expropriating Anarchists.
25. Juan Carlos Onetti — Stories.
26. Andrés Caicedo — The Crossed.
27. Eduardo Rosenzvaig — Tomorrow is Far

El Ciudadano