Sharing Knowledge, Strengthening Networks: The IAI in Guatemala

In July 2025, the Ibero-Amerikanisches Institut (IAI) undertook an internationalisation trip to Guatemala, participating in two key events that promoted exchange on digital knowledge infrastructures and cultural diversity in the region: the I. Encuentro de la Red de Repositorios y Bibliotecas Digitales Centroamericanas and the Feria Internacional del Libro en Guatemala (FILGUA).

At the first meeting of the newly established Central American network of repositories and digital libraries (July 7 - 11, 2025, Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala), Dr. Christoph Müller presented the Specialized Information Service (FID) LACARinfo and led a workshop on best practices in digitization and strategies for promoting and disseminating digital collections. The event brought together experts from Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica, Mexico, Spain, and Germany to strengthen existing ties and establish initial formal agreements.

The focus was on a shared commitment to knowledge development in Central America. Dr. Sofía Vindas Solano (Universidad de Costa Rica) emphasized the importance of community building and trust: “We gave a face and a voice to those advocating for Open Access and began creating a shared platform.” Miguel Barahona (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras) highlighted the political and cultural dimensions of the exchange, calling for the recognition of memory, collections, and technologies as common pillars of knowledge development.

In addition to lectures by international specialists, collaborative workshops provided space to discuss regional needs and perspectives. A declaration of intent for further cooperation was adopted. The next network meeting is scheduled for 2026 at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) in Mexico City.

At the same time, the IAI visited the FILGUA International Book Fair (July 1 - 13, 2025), which set a new record with over 90,000 visitors and more than 500 events. The focus was on acquiring new publications on indigenous languages and cultures for FID LACARinfo. Discussions with publishers also addressed access to e-books and e-journals to expand the digital offering.

A special highlight of the trip was the donation of books by the IAI to the library of the Centro de Estudios de las Culturas en Guatemala – a gesture of appreciation and a contribution to strengthening academic collaboration.

The trip to Guatemala clearly demonstrated the importance of international networks in building sustainable digital infrastructures. The contacts made and collaborations initiated form a solid foundation for future projects in the fields of Open Access, digitization, and knowledge sharing in the region.