LABAF2019 – BOOK TREK @Amphitheatre
It was the German poet, Heinrich Heine, who wrote that “ Where they burn books, they will, in the end, burn human beings too.”
We believe that wherever books are not celebrated, ignorance will triumph which is why LABAF2019 will celebrate the Newest Books on the Nigerian Shelf. Over 20 authors who have recently published books (across genres) will participate in the Book Trek event at the Amphitheatre of Freedom Park.
Attendance is Open to all but Prior registration is required.
Date: Monday Nov 4, 2019
Time: 5pm
Venue: Amphitheatre
Don’t miss #Labaf2019
2019 ACCRA BOOK FEST TARGETS THE AFRO-WORLD.
The 2019 Accra International Book Festival (Accra Book Fest) which was launched on August 10, is set to bring together writers of African descent from all over the world to take part in conversations, debates, workshops, and performances to share their experiences about the dream of our forbearers.
The theme for the 2019 Accra Book Fest is: “Dream, A Talk With The Afro-World.” where participants will be opportuned to explore the dreams of the black diaspora about the continent.
The event which will kick off from October 24-26, 2019 promises an unforgettable experience in Ghana’s capital, and will feature creative and interactive conversations with the world’s finest writers and thinkers.
This year marks the 400th anniversary of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade that robbed Africa of its human resources. The unconscionable trade was the beginning of the division, now visible, between Africans and other Black Africans living outside the continent.
In order to bridge this divide, the concept, Pan-Africanism, was coined to push forward a united front among Africans.
The event will unpack this challenge and explore ways to creatively further co-operation with Africans in the diaspora.
Pan-African activist, Marcus Mosiah Garvey noted, “Pan-Africanism sees those of African black heritage as one people, part of a global African community and calls for a politically and economically united Africa…”
To further consolidate this mindset, the Government of Ghana has declared the year 2019 as “The Year Of Return.”
Source: Accrabookfest.com
South African President launches virtual book club.
South African President, Ramaphosa launches a virtual book club where South Africans can engage with books that the President will reccomend and share their views directly with him.
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s reading circle, an offshoot of the National Reading Coalition (NRC), offers book lovers a chance to get lost in the world of books and share their views on books with the President through the chat service on the site.
“The President’s Reading Circle is a home for passionate, veteran readers and those who are in the first thralls of their exploration with words and ideas.This is where we share current and past reads; where we complement and critique writers and their readers, and where we engage with seriousness and fun for the sake of building a community around reading and all it inspires,” said the spokesperson of the National Reading Coalition
The reading circle is an attempt from Ramaphosa, a champion reader and published author, to expand the reading culture of South Africans by helping South Africans experience and indulge in the joy of reading.
In his State of the Nation Address in June, President Ramaphosa emphasised the importance of cultivating a reading nation to unlock opportunities that flow from a broadened understanding of the country and the world.
In 2016, South Africa was ranked last out of 50 countries in the Progress in International Reading Literacy (PIRLS) study which tested reading comprehension of Grade 4 learners. The study found that 78% of South African pupils at this level could not read for meaning. Additionally, in South Africa 5 000 book sales make a bestseller, cementing the poor levels of reading.
The reading circle seeks to address South Africa’s debilitating reading culture.
Source: thesouthafrican.com
