MTic-design was invited to present at the Feria Internacional del Libro in Bogotá, FILBo 2016. This book fair, the 2nd largest of Latin America, took place from April 19 until May 2, 2016. The Netherlands was guest of honor and set up a country pavilion in which many talks and performances were organized. Apart from literature, the Dutch Enterprise Agency (RVO) and the Dutch embassy presented the creative sector in the pavilion, and organized presentations that were given all over Bogotá.

MTic-design opened the trade mission after a speech of Royal Highness Princess Laurentien der Nederlanden. Marie-Thérèse Woltering and Bas Sala explained the collaboration between the Netherlands and Colombia related to design. MTic-design participant Pablo Fog from Bogota showed his point of view on what design means in a Colombian context. Then the architects from the Dutch pavilion, MVRDV from Rotterdam, presented the ‘making of’.

In the Business Point of the Holland House MTic-design showed some of the developed products, where we were honored with a visit of the Colombian minister of Culture, Mariana Garcés Córdoba, who showed great interest in the results and the idea behind the project. On other locations on the premises of the Feria we held interviews with the national radio and the TV channel from Bogotá.

During our stay we gave presentations on several other locations in Bogota like the Universidad de los Andes, Galería La Cometa, Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano and the Dutch pavilion ‘Hola Holanda es literatura’. Our coordinator in Colombia, Danilo Calvache joined us on several occasions to explain his point of view on the project.

The joyful Filbo2016 event attracted an impressive number of visitors and over 165.000 of them enthusiastically and patiently cued up to see the Dutch pavilion. This sure was a good promotion for the Netherlands and an opportunity to strengthen ties between the people of our countries. MTic-design thanks the Dutch embassy in Bogotá and RVO for their huge effort that resulted in a perfect organization and a wonderful time for the Dutch invitees.