Zambezi book Expo set to light the literary scene

There is need to restore the glamour of the literary arts.

Joy Madewu

ZIMBABWE literary scene and book sector which have been struggling to recapture the glory of the late 90s and early 2000s is set for revival with the establishment of Zambezi Book Expo, a regional book and educational fair set for 10 – 12 September 2015 at Rainbow Towers Hotel.
There is need to restore the glamour of the literary arts. Literature was among the most popular forms of art and writers were celebrated the same way we celebrate musicians today. That is the reason why writers like Patrick Chakaipa, Giles Kuimba, Tsitsi Dangarembwa, Thompsom K Tsodzo, Mordecai Hamutyinei, Aaron Chiundura Moyo, Yvonne Vera, Chenjerai Hove and Dambudzo Marechera became revered names.
Even our literary events ranked among the best in Africa. However, over the years we have become mere shadows of ourselves. This sad reality coupled with the impact of technological developments on the book industry over the last two decades, motivated us to find solutions to leverage book publishing and reading amidst these challenges. The result is the Zambezi Book Expo, a reimagined book and educational fair.
Zambezi Book Expo meets or surpasses expectations of writers, publishers, booksellers, readers and educational institutions in this age. She said the expo is positioned as one of the largest book and education fairs in Africa and is bound to become one of the largest book fairs in the world.
Our positioning is very clear we are named after the fourth largest river in Africa, the Zambezi River, which runs through six African countries and is also home to one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, the mighty Victoria Falls. We are not coming in as a competitor of ZIBF but complimenting efforts to put Zimbabwe and Africa at the pinnacle of world literature.
Zambezi Book Expo will also see the launch of two literary awards next month: Great Zimbabwe Book Awards and Mosi-oa-Tunya Literature Award for Women Writers in Africa.
For some years now there have been no awards specific to the book sector in Zimbabwe. The only solace is the NAMA awards which have a few literature categories yet literary awards are critical for the development of the book sector.
Besides rewarding writing excellence and highlighting exceptional books, literary awards get people talking about books, buying them, and reading them. They also put emerging writers on the limelight which is good for the growth of the literary arts.
She said the Great Zimbabwe Book Awards will be open to all Zimbabweans at home and in the diaspora whilst the Mosi-oa-Tunya Literature Award for Women Writers in Africa is open to all African women writers. Categories for the two awards will be unveiled next month.
Besides the book exhibitions and awards we have also lined up a number of activities which includes: performance by an international musician and comedian; author and readers interactive sessions; workshops; performances; panel discussions; competitions; book market; education fair and film shows.
We are working hard to change the wrong perception or should I call it a myth in Zimbabwe and Africa at large that book fairs are a thing of the past. In fact, they are still a force to reckon with the world over. The Guadalajara Book Fair in Mexico had over 700 000 visitors in 2013, The Turin Book Fair in Italy attracts over 300 000 visitors and 1 400 exhibitors whilst German’s Frankfurt Book Fair attracts over 300 000 visitors from over 130 countries each year.