International writers highlight challenges in bringing literature closer to young people at the Santo Domingo International Book Fair 2025

Santo Domingo. – Within the framework of the Santo Domingo International Book Fair 2025, the international writers Karine Bernal and Fernando Iwasaki reflected on the challenges literature faces in capturing the interest of new generations, in a context marked by digitalization and social media. During the meeting with the media, it was highlighted that one of the main challenges is to get young people, increasingly exposed to multiple distractions, to find a space to approach reading and maintain a sustained link with books. In that sense, the role of digital platforms and free reading applications was highlighted as a bridge that facilitates the discovery of new authors and opens the possibility that, subsequently, readers seek printed editions. The participants agreed that both the physical and digital books are valid, and that far from excluding each other, they complement each other. While online reading allows for greater reach and visibility for emerging writers, the paper edition is still valued by readers, who seek to keep the works in their personal libraries. They also addressed the importance of social media as a key tool for connecting with the young audience. Spaces like Instagram, TikTok, and live streams were identified as effective strategies for creating communities around literature and establishing a direct link between authors and readers.

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This international gathering, held in the Plaza de la Cultura Juan Pablo Duarte, is part of the program of activities of the FIL Santo Domingo 2025, which brings together writers, academics, and cultural managers in an exchange of ideas about the present and future of the book.