“Making the Book Pay” ZIBF 2017
The 2017 edition of the Zimbabwe International Book Fair will roar into life from 31 July to 5 August under the theme “Making the Book Pay”. This year’s edition will see 100 authors from Zimbabwe and other African countries exhibiting their works. As is the tradition, there is an Indaba which will take place from 31 July to 2 August where all the stakeholders will review the past edition while formulating next year’s theme. The theme of this year’s edition not only draws upon the financial merits but also other non-literal financial benefits.
The theme, “Making the Book Pay” was borne out of the positive economic blueprints governing Zimbabwe in particular and Africa in general. The ZIMASSET economic blueprint and the Agenda 2063 from the African Union with their core tenets of eradicating poverty, improving living standards and maintaining high literacy levels in Africa influenced this years’ theme.
The book’s that are going to be exhibited at this year’s ZIBF will mostly aim at alleviating poverty through sustaining and inculcating the reading habit among the younger generation so that they grow up aware of all the entrepreneur activities that are available to them. Success stories in print media breed aspirations and inspirations for the young thereby seeding more success stories. It is in the knowledge that a nation develops hence ZIBF is going to impact this priceless knowledge for the upliftment of the society.
A culture of reading helps in alleviating poverty and improving standards of living through informing the masses on such critical issues as HIV/AIDS and equality and socio-economic empowerment. The books to be exhibited at this year’s edition will touch on these critical human development issues.
