adminexpected not only to regain its glory of six years ago but also to open a new chapter in the important discourse on book and policy development.
Acting executive director of the fair Xavier Carelse has indicated that the number of exhibitors has increased significantly and that already over 70 exhibitors have booked their stands in order to secure the most desired locations for viable exhibition and trade. Arguably Africa’s premier literary event and book market, ZIBF 2011 opens with an intellectual conference called Indaba. The Indaba, which will occupy July 25-26 will feature more than 18 speakers is supported by Kopinor of Norway and the Norwegian Non-Fiction Writers and Translators’ Union.
One third of speakers lined up for the Indaba will be very distinguished international speakers whose presence greatly enhances the international image of the fair. Professor Helge Ronning from Norway who has been a longstanding friend of the Zimbabwe International Book Fair and Zimbabwean writers’ fraternity will deliver the keynote address.
The professor, who has previously taught at the University of Zimbabwe, University of Ibiden and the University of California, Santa Barbara, has since 1996 been researching and teaching in Mozambique in the area of media and development. While in Mozambique, he has also acted as director of the Nordic-Sadc Journalism Centre.
Professor Ronning has published numerous articles on literacy, social, political, media and cultural topics in Norway, Scandinavian, European, and American journals and newspapers.
The professor has also extensively published and contributed to books on politics, literature, media and cultural topics in Norway, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, United States of America, United Kingdom, Portugal and Denmark.
Also prominent on the list of speakers during the Indaba is Dr Angeline Kamba, who served on the Unesco Commission on Culture and Development and is a leading figure in the promotion of the arts and culture in Zimbabwe. In the last 12 years, Dr Kamba has steered the ship Africa’s most successful and well-managed arts festival – the Harare International Festival of the Arts – as its chairman.
Dr Kamba is a founding member of the Observatory of Cultural Policies in Africa where she continues to contribute vast knowledge and experience to many aspects dealing with cultural policy formulation in Africa
and the critical issue of the value and contribution of culture to sustainable development. Often considered as a mobile version of the Unesco Word Commission on Culture and Development’s final report “Our Creative Diversity”, Dr Kamba continues to inspire cultural activists and artistes in the promotion and protection of the diversity of cultural expressions.
Also expected to grace the Indaba is the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Honourable David Coltart, who is expected to address the issue of book policy and matters relating to book development and provision of books to the education system.
For many years the stakeholders in the book industry – writers, book publishers, booksellers, illustrators and printers have advocated for active dialogue with the minister responsible for education, the arts and culture on wide diversity of issues.
The Young People’s Indaba, which will be held on July 27, will once again concentrate on encouraging young people who are seriously considering writing careers to look at all aspects of getting started as a writer. In this session, prominent and accomplished writers in various genres and languages are assigned to groups where they facilitate discussions, workshops and even group work on novel writing, poetry writing and performance, drama, film and television script writing.
The young writers are also given an opportunity to deal with challenges they face and are expected to present to the plenary what they expect should be done to facilitate their acquisition of writing skills and getting their works published. Also to be featured as from the July 27 is the Children’s Reading Tent which is dedicated to encouraging a reading culture among the very young.
This year’s Writers’ Workshop which has been sponsored by the British Council will also be held on the July 27. This time the workshop will mainly focus on the use of computers and computer aids in writing. Admission to this very practical workshop is by invitation to Zimbabwean authors wishing to learn more about their art of writing.
Equally essential will be the mentoring during the workshop of new writers and hence the involvement of some of the nation’s prominent writers. The Writers’ Workshop will be co-ordinated by Musaemura Zimunya, who is also the chairman of the Executive Board of the Zimbabwe International Book Fair Association and a member of the executive committee of the newly established Zimbabwe Writers’ Association. In view of the usual stampede by writers to this popular event of the Fair it is advisable for writers wishing to be invited to make contact with the co-ordinator of the workshop.
A new event at the ZIBF 2011 will be a special workshop on HIV and Aids awareness which has been sponsored by Doctors Without Borders (Medecins sans Frontiers) from Spain.
This year, the exhibition of books and other literature runs from Thursday 28 July to Saturday 30 July. The Culture Fund of Zimbabwe and Norcode of Norway support this highlight of the Fair, which attracts thousands of Zimbabweans and foreign visitors.
Also expected to feature during the Fair are theatre performances in place of the live literature events.
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