The twentieth edition of Hay Festival Cartagena de Indias will be held from 30 January to 2 February. In this page you can find the events in the general programme as well as Hay Festival Joven activities for university audiences, Hay Festival Comunitario sessions which took place in different areas of Cartagena, Reading Clubs and Talento Editorial.
For any inquirie, please contact tickets@hayfestival.org and contacto@hayfestival.org. Consulta el programa en PDF.
In 2025, the Hay Festival celebrates 20 years of conversations and thought in Colombia. To mark the anniversary, we have run a collaborative project in which Colombian society has helped us to put the twenty key questions for our time. This panel invites us to reflect on the vital nature of the sciences, nature and the future of research based on the questions: How can we guarantee the rights of animals and plants? Can science meet the demand for meat and fish with protein created in a laboratory? How can science tackle the problems of mental health and prolong our life expectancy? How can extensive farming by made compatible with protecting biodiversity in Colombia? With Weildler Guerra (Colombia), María Negroni (Argentina), Ricardo Villafañe (Colombia) and Javier Cajiao (Colombia).
In 2025, the Hay Festival celebrates 20 years of conversations and thought in Colombia. To mark the anniversary, we have run a collaborative project in which Colombian society has helped us to put the twenty key questions for our time. We reflect on the importance of culture and literature, based on the questions: What value does fiction have for society? How can we render visible and learn from non-hegemonic narratives? What role does art play in the construction of a more peaceful, empathetic society that is aware of its challenges? With Piedad Bonnett (Colombia), Charlotte Higgins (United Kingdom), Nicola Lagioia (Italy) and Cristina Rivera Garza (Mexico) in conversation with Pilar Reyes.
Interpretation from English to Spanish available
In 2025, the Hay Festival celebrates 20 years of conversations and thought in Colombia. To mark the anniversary, we have run a collaborative project in which Colombian society has helped us to put the twenty key questions for our time. In a context in which the environmental crisis and climate change have become urgent matters, festival guests urge us to reconsider our relationship with the planet based on the following questions: How can we change existing narratives to tackle the climate emergency? How can we make the exploitation of raw materials compatible with their climate impact? How can extensive farming be made compatible with protecting biodiversity in Colombia? Peter Frankopan (United Kingdom), writer and historian; Virginia Mendoza (Spain), journalist, writer and anthropologist; Gustavo Ulcué Campo (Colombia), Nasa film and television producer. In conversation with Rosie Boycott.
Simultaneous interpretation from English to Spanish available
In 2025, the Hay Festival celebrates 20 years of conversations and thought in Colombia. To mark the anniversary, we have run a collaborative project in which Colombian society has helped us to put the twenty key questions for our time. Given the uncertainty created by the appearance of AI and its increasing use in everyday tasks, figures from the Hay Festival Cartagena ask us to reflect on its development based on the following questions: How can we make ethical use of biomedicine and artificial intelligence? How is it possible to guarantee that artificial intelligence does not increase existing inequalities? In conversation with Sylvie Duchamp will be Marcus du Sautoy (United Kingdom), Rodrigo Quian Quiroga (Argentina) and Rafael Yuste (Spain).
Simultaneous interpretation from English to Spanish available
In 2025, the Hay Festival celebrates 20 years of conversations and thought in Colombia. To mark the anniversary, we have run a collaborative project in which Colombian society has helped us to put the twenty key questions for our time. With democracy being questioned and affected by growing disinformation, the participants at this round table invite us to reflect on the following questions: Are we experiencing the end of the single Western narrative? Are there models other than the democratic one? Will we give up our civil rights to have more security? How should we combat disinformation? How should governments manage immigration? With Anne Applebaum (United States), Nataliya Gumenyuk (Ucrania), Susan Neiman (United States) and Edward Chancellor (United Kingdom). In conversation with Jon Lee Anderson.
Simultaneous interpretation from English to Spanish available
In 2025, the Hay Festival celebrates 20 years of conversations and thought in Colombia. To mark the anniversary, we have run a collaborative project in which Colombian society has helped us to put the twenty key questions for our time. We are asking ourselves more and more whether we are progressing towards equality of gender, race and class; we tackle this matter based on the following questions: How can we fight structural racism? How is it possible to guarantee that artificial intelligence does not increase existing inequalities? What can the city learn from the countryside, and vice versa? With Gioconda Belli (Nicaragua), Bocafloja (Mexico), Ochy Curiel (Dominican Republic) Colm Tóibín (Ireland) and Justin Torres (United States) in conversation with Ayisha Osori.
Simultaneous interpretation from English to Spanish available
In 2025, the Hay Festival celebrates 20 years of conversations and thought in Colombia. To mark the anniversary, we have run a collaborative project in which Colombian society has helped us to put the twenty key questions for our time. Festival guests will bring a wide ranging focus to the conversation, including perspectives from both the global south and the north, and based on the following questions: How can economic degrowth be made an attractive alternative? How would the legalisation of drugs affect the world economy? What can the city learn from the countryside, and vice versa? With Anne Applebaum (United States), Nataliya Gumenyuk (Ukraine) and Jorge Ramos (Mexico / United States). They will talk to Clara Elvira Ospina.
Simultaneous interpretation from English to Spanish available
All Sunday 2 February events will be free for people from the department of Bolívar. Complimentary tickets can be requested at the box office of the Hay Festival (Centro de Convenciones) showing your ID, between 27 Janaury and 2 February.