David Robertson
Senior Lecturer, MIT Sloan | Former LEGO Professor of Innovation, IMD Switzerland | Author, Brick by Brick and The Power of Little Ideas
Juan Gabriel Vásquez
Internationally Acclaimed Colombian Novelist | Winner of the Alfaguara & International Dublin Literary Awards | Essayist & Leading Voice on Democracy
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Juan Gabriel Vásquez is one of the most acclaimed novelists writing in Spanish today, a Colombian author whose books have reached some thirty languages and won the Alfaguara and International Dublin Literary Awards. From The Sound of Things Falling to Feliza's Names, his fiction probes history, memory, and power. On stage, he speaks with rare clarity about storytelling, truth, and the fragility of democracy.
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Juan Gabriel Vásquez biography
Bestselling author speaker Juan Gabriel Vásquez is one of the most celebrated novelists and public intellectuals of his generation, a Colombian writer whose work has been translated into some thirty languages and honored with many of the world’s leading literary prizes. Born in Bogotá in 1973, he is known for internationally acclaimed novels such as The Sound of Things Falling and The Shape of the Ruins, fiction that explores the tangled ties between history, politics, and collective memory.
After studying law in Colombia, Vásquez spent sixteen years in France, Belgium, and Spain before returning to Bogotá, and today divides his time between Colombia and New York. The Sound of Things Falling won Spain’s Alfaguara Prize and, in 2014, made him the first Latin American writer to receive the International Dublin Literary Award. His novel The Shape of the Ruins was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize, while Retrospective earned the Mario Vargas Llosa Biennial Novel Prize. His most recent novel, Feliza’s Names, reconstructs the life of the Colombian sculptor Feliza Bursztyn.
A Voice in the Public Square
Beyond his fiction, Vásquez is a prominent essayist and columnist who has written for more than two decades in outlets such as El Espectador and El País, offering clear, nonpartisan reflections on the challenges facing modern democracies. His distinctions include the Royal Spanish Academy Award, France’s Order of Arts and Letters, Spain’s Order of Isabella the Catholic, and his appointment as an International Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Critics have hailed him as an heir to Gabriel García Márquez among Colombia’s foremost novelists.
As a speaker, Juan Gabriel Vásquez brings the same narrative mastery and analytical depth that define his books. He has shared the stage with writers including Carlos Fuentes, Salman Rushdie, and Irene Vallejo, and speaks with rare clarity about storytelling, memory, truth in a post-truth age, and the fragility of democracy. Audiences at universities, cultural institutions, and corporate forums leave with a deeper sense of how the stories we tell shape the societies we build.
Juan Gabriel Vásquez Speaking Videos
Juan Gabriel Vásquez, writer: “The past exists only when we tell it”
The Promised Islands: An Interview with Juan Gabriel Vásquez
Juan Gabriel Vásquez Speaking Topics
Vásquez examines how disinformation, rapid technological change, and rising populism are reshaping public life. He explores why the contest over what counts as truth has become one of the defining struggles of our time, and what it means for how societies decide and remember.
Stories shape identity, community, and how we see the world, but they can mislead as easily as they reveal. Drawing on a life spent crafting narratives, Vásquez reflects on the influence of storytelling and the ethical responsibility that comes with telling and sharing stories.
As public trust erodes and voters turn to leaders who test democratic limits, Vásquez offers a clear-eyed reading of this fragile moment. He traces the forces pulling at established democracies and asks what it will take to renew them.
Literature helps us understand ourselves and one another, building empathy and questioning the world we inherit. Vásquez makes the case for the novel as an essential way of exploring human experience, and reflects on why fiction can unsettle power as much as it consoles readers.
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FAQs on Booking Juan Gabriel Vásquez
Booking Juan Gabriel Vásquez brings one of the most celebrated literary voices of Latin America to your stage. A Colombian novelist published in roughly thirty languages, he has won the Alfaguara Prize, the International Dublin Literary Award, and the Royal Spanish Academy Award, and was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize. Beyond his fiction, he is a respected essayist on memory, truth, and the health of democracies. Articulate, thoughtful, and at ease with audiences from universities to corporate forums, Vásquez offers both intellectual depth and genuine inspiration. Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you bring Juan Gabriel Vásquez to your next event; complete our contact form to check his availability.
Juan Gabriel Vásquez is best known as one of the leading novelists of contemporary Latin American literature. His internationally acclaimed novels, including The Sound of Things Falling, The Shape of the Ruins, and Retrospective, explore Colombia's history and the ways private lives are shaped by politics and violence. The Sound of Things Falling won the Alfaguara Prize and the International Dublin Literary Award, and his work has been translated into roughly thirty languages.
Juan Gabriel Vásquez has received many of the literary world's most respected honors. They include the Alfaguara Prize, the 2014 International Dublin Literary Award, the Gregor von Rezzori Prize, the Prix Roger Caillois, and the Royal Spanish Academy Award, along with two Simón Bolívar journalism awards. He was made a Chevalier of France's Order of Arts and Letters, received Spain's Order of Isabella the Catholic, and was named an International Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
As a speaker, Juan Gabriel Vásquez addresses storytelling and memory, the defense of truth in a post-truth era, the challenges facing modern democracies, and the enduring power of literature. He blends narrative skill with sharp cultural analysis, drawing audiences into the connections between history, politics, and the stories that shape our world. To invite Juan Gabriel Vásquez to speak at your event, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau through our booking form.
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Juan Gabriel Vásquez as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Juan Gabriel Vásquez's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Juan Gabriel Vásquez or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
Juan Gabriel Vásquez speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Juan Gabriel Vásquez to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Juan Gabriel Vásquez.
We only work with Juan Gabriel Vásquez on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Juan Gabriel Vásquez and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Juan Gabriel Vásquez speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Juan Gabriel Vásquez for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Yes, Juan Gabriel Vásquez is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Juan Gabriel Vásquez for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
