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Durban International Book Fair A Resounding Success
Durban International Book Fair A Resounding Success
"Insane"was the gleeful response of the organisers of the Durban International BookFair as the doors thrust open on the first day at The Globe, Suncoast. Hundredsof people came tumbling through in the first few hours with an eventual tallyexceeding 12000 over the five days.
"Wehad the security staff clicking guests in on a counting meter and the numberskept boiling over," according to Kiru Naidoo, a co-founder of the iconicevent in Africa's only UNESCO city of literature. The Durban Book Fair is aregistered NPO with Advocate Zandile Qono serving as its chairperson.
Shepointed out that the most exciting outcome was the scores of schools primary,secondary and tertiary that brought their students to the event. "DurbanTransport through eThekwini head of international relations Eric Apelgren wereamazing in freely making available busses for the schools as part of theircontribution to the event," added Qono.
Over200 writers and creatives from more than twenty countries were on the litfestprogramme which makes a good claim that KwaZulu-Natal hosts the biggest bookfair in the country. "We had learners from eShowe, Richards Bay, Ballito,Reservoir Hills, Chatsworth, Amanzimtoti all the way through Port Shepstone andthe hinterland," gushed festival director, Anivesh Singh.
Freedomstruggle hero and founder of the United Democratic Front, Dr Allan Boesakbrought his book on black consciousness to the fair and made a spiritedargument about why he refused to be part of the UDF 40th anniversarycelebrations while the country was ridden with political factions. Boesakshared a panel with former waiter, 100-year-old James Ratibar who wasinaugurated into the Living Library, which is a catalogue of older people thatschoolchildren can "borrow" to research school projects. Theprogramme's youngest author was ten-year-old Siyanda Chali who wrote a book inboth IsiZulu and English discouraging her peers from stealing.
Inaddition to the authors on the four stages honouring Mazisi Kunene, CherylRoberts, Alan Paton and Phyllis Naidoo were exhibitors from major publishinghouses, the United States, China, Turkey, universities, book dealers, researchcentres and editors. #DIBF2023 incorporated a chess tournament and severalphotographic exhibitions.
"TheGlobe was just ideal for creatives with concerts by among others the legendaryMadala Kunene and hip hop sensations LIV from Wentworth," according toNaidoo. With a hugely successful event in the bag, the organisers will soon putout the call for participants for the 2024 event, which is timetabled for thesame venue on 14-18 August.