The Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC) participates as Guest of Honor at the Yucatan International Reading Fair (FILEY 2026), under the motto “Reading Peninsulas”
The following is an interview with Professor Laura Figueroa, Head of the University Press Department at UABC:
How did the invitation to UABC to be the guest of honor at FILEY 2026 come about?
UABC became the guest of honor at FILEY 2026 through a direct invitation from the Rector of UADY, Professor Carlos Alberto Estrada Pinto, to the Rector of UABC, Dr. Luis Enrique Palafox Maestre, at an event that brings together rectors from different Mexican universities.
Dr. Palafox accepted the invitation, considering it an honor, and communicated it to the different departments at UABC to contact the FILEY organizing committee. It turned out to be a very positive experience, with excellent communication.
What is the theme of UABC’s participation in FILEY?
The motto is “Reading Peninsulas,” since there are only two peninsulas in Mexico: the Yucatán Peninsula and the Baja California Peninsula.
Do you think that people in Baja California and in Mexico in general are avid readers?
Perhaps we aren’t as avid readers as we should be, since reading rates are higher in other countries, but there are many people who do read. And something very positive that we do at the annual reading fair at UABC is to make sure that most of these children who attend the fair leave with books, either from school trips or with their families. In this way, the seed of reading is sown, a seed that must be nurtured and cultivated so that these children become the readers of tomorrow.
In fact, a reading promoter here at the FILEY (Yucatán International Book Fair) said something extremely interesting: that reading isn’t just about printed books; nowadays, when everyone is on cell phones, computers, and tablets, what you read on those devices also counts as reading. And in that sense, the promoter can tell young readers, “What you found on a blog, website, or social media, you can continue reading in more detail in this book (whether physical or digital).”
I think he’s absolutely right in saying this, since we often think that what we read on the internet or social media doesn’t count as reading, but in many cases it should, and from there we take the next step of researching a topic further and eventually finding a book.
I remember reading an English writer who said that many times we, those of us in the field of education, and even parents, cause young people or children to distance themselves from reading because sometimes schools assign them books they don’t connect with.
For example, many teachers assign their elementary school students “Don Quixote,” which is obviously an excellent literary work, but perhaps for most 10, 11, or 12-year-olds, it’s not the best choice. And what happens? You assign that reading, and because they don’t connect with the book at that stage of their lives, you somehow distance them from reading.
But if you assign them a book with a theme that interests them, then this significantly brings them closer to reading. This is what happened with the Harry Potter phenomenon; many children read those books and from that moment on, continued with the reading habit. That’s why it’s important to read what is of interest to people of a certain age.
For example, here we see a stand with books about soccer. There will probably be young people who connect with that topic, read the books, and from there move on to other types of reading. The important thing is to instill the habit in them.
Not everyone starts by reading a Pulitzer Prize, a Nobel Prize, and a classic like Don Quixote, but you can start with one type of reading and progress from there. The important thing, I repeat, is to instill the habit of reading in children and young people.
What does it mean to be the guest of honor at the Filey (International Book Fair of Yucatán)?
As guests of honor, we committed to carrying out a series of cultural and reading-related activities.
A program was put together that covers different areas. On opening day, a musical and dance performance took place.
Several book presentations were also held, including a book in which our rector, Dr. Luis Enrique Palafox Maestre, participated.
We also organized children’s workshops and workshops for senior citizens, including a program we have in Baja California called “Grandparents Reading,” which involves grandparents reading to children.
There were also radio activities and a panel discussion on photojournalism. There were approximately 24 activities of different kinds, and in many cases, more than one session of each workshop was held during the 8 days of the Fair.
Several of these activities are also carried out at the annual reading fair held at UABC.
Likewise, our booth has information about UABC, its mission, vision, statistics, and general information for the people of Yucatán to get to know us better.
We noticed that the program of activities mentions the presentation of a book called “Turtle’s Pace” (Paso de Tortuga). Could you tell us a little about it?
It’s a very interesting work that was co-published with another higher education institution in Baja California, CETYS University.
In this sense, academics from UABC and CETYS University who work on the topic of migration developed this idea with the intention of writing a book not aimed at an adult audience, but rather at children, through an illustrated book, because many children don’t fully understand their current circumstances, given everything that has happened regarding migration in the northern region of Baja California and other parts of the world.
Since the current migration phenomenon forces families to migrate, this means taking children out of the environment they have known their entire lives. In most cases, children don’t understand when their parents tell them, “We’re going to live somewhere else because we’ll have a better life there.” In some cases, they do achieve a better life, but many of these children go through a series of hardships and obstacles of all kinds, including very dramatic situations that are extremely difficult for them to process.
There are a large number of cases of children who are separated from their parents because they are apprehended by immigration authorities in the United States, and many of these innocent children experience violent and traumatic episodes, even ending up alone in a shelter at a very young age.
So, all of this is presented in this book in an accessible way for children, so that they realize they are not alone and that there are other children like them, living through the same experiences.
That’s why this book is being distributed free of charge at shelters and strategic locations where children need to understand their current situation.
The authors of this work explain that the current radical migration policies have literally closed the borders to thousands of migrant children.
In this sense, this situation is causing many Central and South American migrants to no longer look to the United States, but rather to Mexico as a destination that can offer them work and a better life. This is happening in several states of Mexico, such as Chiapas, Morelos, and Puebla, among others.
In Mexicali, Baja California, for example, a large Haitian community has formed. These people had to leave their country for various reasons, and upon reaching the border and being unable to enter the United States, they decided to stay on the Mexican side and integrate productively into society.
They can be seen working in restaurants and other businesses. And there’s even the case of one of them who enrolled as a student at the Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC), since he was able to prove with documentation that he had completed high school in his country of origin, learned the language, and is now pursuing his degree.
And of course, this situation of migrants isn’t limited to Mexico and the United States; it’s a phenomenon that is occurring very strongly worldwide.
So the book “At a Turtle’s Pace” fulfills the social concern of universities to contribute to understanding the world we are currently living in, and can serve as a guide for these children who find themselves in difficult situations they didn’t choose, helping them to better comprehend what’s happening around them. In addition to the book, UABC is also organizing workshops where this topic is being discussed.
Finally, as an academic and representative of a higher education institution, what is your opinion of education in Mexico today?
I believe education in Mexico is progressing, but there are times when it needs more reinforcement in terms of public policies and commitment from teachers and academics. Because sadly, both in terms of policy and specifically among those dedicated to public education, it seems that apathy and indifference sometimes prevail, leading to complacency and the belief that no matter what is done, students won’t progress much… or will end up dropping out of school… or that there’s no point in trying to convince children who don’t pay attention in class. This is extremely harmful to society because a child who doesn’t pay attention in class is often experiencing other issues, such as family problems at home. It’s also a reality that in many rural communities in Mexico, malnutrition prevents children from performing well as students.
And good teachers must be able to help children in these kinds of situations, which are so frequent, especially in public institutions. Because I am convinced that education is what can help a country the most.
I firmly believe that our society needs to be better prepared and informed to achieve better results in all aspects of life. With the proper knowledge and preparation, citizens can demand more from their rulers and public officials. People need to be aware that when we vote for a candidate in any government position, we have the right to request them with good results, and Education is the tool we need.
Interview by Alejandro Azcárate for The Yucatan Post
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