Hay Festival Cartagena 2024

In his work, Eduardo Romero García analyses and criticises matters of the foremost importance, such as colonialism, migratory policies and the leftovers of capitalism. In his most recent book, ¿Cómo va a ser la montaña un dios? (2023), he traces the route connecting the Colombian Caribbean coast with the Spanish region of Asturias, in a surprising way, one that is almost invisible to us under normal circumstances: coal mining. Romero García tells a powerful story that links the lives of an old man in Asturias, once a miner, with those of some Afro-Colombian women who reach Europe from the Cauca Valley, and a group of Colombian migrants who flee their country and when they reach their destination they find ships that have brought coal from El Cerrejón, in La Guajira, to a Spanish port. In conversation with Josef Amón Mitrani.

The young academic Jesús Sanjurjo (Spain) will talk about his book Con la sangre de nuestros hermanos. Historia del abolicionismo y del fin del comercio de esclavos en el Imperio español, 1800-1870, in which he sets out the complex history of abolitionist and anti-abolitionist discourses in Spain and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean during the 19th century. The study covers the ideological, political and diplomatic battle that occurred up and down the Atlantic in order to ban the slave trade in the last years of the Spanish Empire. He will talk about this original piece of research, one that has received the recognition of the Journal of Global Slavery. In conversation with the History professor Santiago Colmenares.

Jorge Comensal is the author of Este vacío que hierve (2023), a novel that explores matters such as the malleable nature of space-time, the environmental crisis, family secrets, addiction and fanaticism. It knits together the stories of Karina, a 25-year old physicist; her alcoholic grandmother Rebeca; the parents of Karina, who died 18 years previously; Silverio, a guard at Mexico City’s biggest cemetery; a cryptic pyromaniac priest; Daenerys, an environmental activist; and the animals at the burning zoo of this story of fauna, mystery and solitude. In conversation with Luz Karime Santodomingo, teacher at the Language Institute.

In 2023, given the vast advances that have taken place in medical biotechnology, euthanasia and assisted suicide are issues that deserve to be discussed publically. Arnoldo Kraus (Mexico) is a Professor of Medicine and an expert in bioethics, sometimes called a “student of the soul”. He tackles this difficult and controversial matter, one that requires thinking, and talking to others, about death. He will reflect on concepts such as dignity, autonomy, anticipatory instructions, terminal patients, religious fanaticisms, the limits of life and medicine, biotechnology used suitably, or not… terms that need to be reflected on, both as individuals and as a society and a State. Kraus is the author of titles such as Decir adiós, decirse adiós; Una lectura de la vida; Dolor de uno, dolor de todos; La morada infinita. Entender la vida, pensar la muerte; Recordar a los difuntos; Cuando la muerte se aproxima and Una receta para no morir. Cartas a un joven médico. In his last book, Adiós, Glinka, Kraus writes for children about dealing with the loss of a pet, a creature that for many of us is another member of the family. In conversation with the Doctor and professor of the Department of Medicine, Hernando Baquero and the surgeon specializing in clinical bioethics and epidemiology Silvia Aguilera.