A book fair to highlight the importance of reading and for the promotion of our cultural heritage through books will be held in August this year.
The three-day event would create the opportunity for industry stakeholders to determine the scope of interaction between the various interest groups in the book industry.
It would be held on the theme “Reforming the booking industry for the future generation,” and would stimulate the interest of the younger generation in reading whilst improving their communication skills.
The Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) Elizabeth Sackey, addressing the pre-launch yesterday, said books played an essential role in the life of every reader by introducing them to a world of imagination, knowledge of the outside world and improving reading habits.
She added that books helped in broadening the horizons and also acted as doorways of connecting individuals to the world.
Recounting her educational experience, she revealed that she remained poised in supporting all useful programmes which promoted quality education to sharpen the knowledge and skills of the youth.
Mrs Sackey indicated that Accra was ready to take over the World Book Capital title from Guadalajara, Mexico, next year and therefore call on all stakeholders in the private and public sectors, international agencies and organisations to support the programme.
The MCE also urged all teachers and parents to encourage students to take reading seriously, especially after school, not just to improve literacy but also to empower the children as an agent of change through the act of reading.
Speaking at the launch, the president of the Ghana Publishers Association (GPA), Mr Asare Konadu Yamoah, said the Ghana International book fair (GIBF) had been a pillar of the Ghanaian cultural heritage and had offered the country the opportunity and experience that had helped the private sector to make significant impact on the Ghanaian book industry.
He added that the GIBF provided an excellent platform for the convergence of the private sector and other institutions, particularly agencies representing the state in the industry as there was a need to continually remind ourselves of how important books were to the Ghana’s cultural heritage and education.
The Main event, scheduled to be held between August 25 and 28 at the National Theatre, would be filled with other events such as “reading with Champions, dramatic reading, read to play, digi read train and the GPA senior high school debate competition”.
In attendance were the Mexican Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Enrique Escorza, and that of her Cuban counterpart, Annette Chao Garcia; representatives from United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organiation (UNESCO), the Copyright Office of Ghana, CopyGhana, Ghana Book Developers; students; teachers and book enthusiasts.
BY JESSEL LARTEY THERSON-COFIE
