Somaliland
SOMALILAND: Hargeisa kicks off annual International Book Fair
July 23, 2010 · 7 Comments
HARGEISA (Somalilandpress) — The second annual Hargeisa International Book Fair kicked off on Friday in the main venue of Ministry of Labor. The event was co-organized by Redsea Online, Kayd and Ilays and is to last until the 27th of July.
This year the theme for the fair was ‘citizenship’ designed to kick start a debate around the topics of civil rights, responsibilities, ownership and about society. Leading panels, renowned poets, scholars and universities will use arts and literary as a ‘vehicle of change’ to explore the theme. The festival was aimed at promoting and encouraging the roles of individuals in a nation through it’s community, laws, and the promotion of rights and civic duties.
Over 3000 people flocked to Friday’s opening session from all regions of Somaliland and neighboring Djibouti; which shares common culture and art with Somaliland.
The visitors also had the opportunity to explore books and arts on various subjects.
The five day literary festival will be attended by local and international authors, artists and scholars including; Nadifa Mohamed author of ‘Black Mamba Boy’, Jama Musse Jama, Hadraawi, Dr. Bulhan, Dr. Ahmed Hussein Isse, Saiid Jama Hussein, Dr. Adan Yusuf Abokor, Ahmed Gahair, Ahmed Mohamed, Shukri Haji Ismail, Yusuf Shaacir, Hassan Ganey, Gaarriye, Kayd, Dr Fadal, Ahmed Aw-Gedi, Ahmed Mohamud Madar, Nimco Gabaydo, Fowzia Hormood, Abdullahi Haji, Belolow, Abdulnasir Ma’alin, Anab Guled, Faysal Omar Mushtashteg, Mahamed Ahmed Kuluc and many others.
The overall objective of Hargeisa International Book Fair is to promote open discussion, Somali culture and education including lifting the literacy levels by encouraging the children to begin reading at early ages. Since Somaliland restored it’s sovereignty in 1991 from dictator Mohamed Siad Barre’s regime, literacy levels have gone up from 20 per cent to 45 per cent and the country plans to hit 75 per cent literate by 2015.
Our reporters Abdiqani Baynah and Keyse Farah speak to Jama Musse Jama, the chairman of the event, on the opening day.
Audio: BBC’s The Strand host Mark Coles talks to award-winning author Nadifa Mohammed as she reports from the annual literary festival in Hargeisa, Somaliland. Click here
Photos:
Photo: Abdulshakur Haji Mohamed ‘Heersare’
Somalilandpress | Friday, 23 July 2010
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Tags: Book fair, Hargeisa, Kayd, Redsea
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It's very interesting, well done folks. maasha Allah.
It's good start and we need programmes like this to teach our youth the importance of tolerance, citizenship and education.
Hargeisa Book Fair is becoming and important institution, I hope the new government provides funds and more books. I also hope Somaliland friends contribute to the program as well Somaliland Diaspora.
We need to open that State Library and within the library we should have exhibition halls and threater rooms.
Reading and writing is all about sharing and distributing knowledge and allowing for the upcoming generation to inherit it.
I would like to see many more programmes that developing the writing skills of our university students.
Hargeisa is going through another important phase; its good to see people promoting and encouraging for discussions, culture and arts.
It will have dramatic effect on the public —- books not bombs. The Somaliland way.
You are the virus that is plaguing Somalia why would any sane person associate with failed state Somalia when they can vote peacefully in Somaliland and gather to read books while the killings go on in Somalia
masha alla masha alla its great success for our homeland to brought knowledge to door steps of our students and its good example for our brothers Somalia to understand what humanity and development really is and put down the guns to took the route of somaliland may allah help all somalis to understand each other
They need to start teaching nationalism in Somaliland schools and what it means to be a Somalilander. SNM is very important from a historic perspective and should be taught in schools.