Hundreds expected to celebrate World Book Day
23-04-2015
The Rhodes Park Library in Kensington, Johannesburg, will be a beehive of activity on Saturday April 25 when the City of Johannesburg marks World Book and Copyright Day and celebrates the importance of books and literacy in communities.
The day is traditionally celebrated globally on April 23 but this year the City decided to move its celebrations to Saturday to allow an increased number of schoolchildren to take part as reading plays a significant role in children’s development.
The City invites all bookworms and lovers of the written word to join its officials at the library between 10am and 1pm.
The library will host a range of activities and well-known authors – including Don Mattera, Mike Alfred and Joanne MacGregor – in celebration of the day.
As the name suggests, the aim of the day is to celebrate all the various wonders associated with books and publishing, the pleasure of reading, and to promote reading, especially among underprivileged and disadvantaged communities.
Since copyright is a big issue in the world of books and writing, World Book and Copyright Day also includes activities that will increase people’s understanding of copyright laws.
“Books in all forms are the door to knowledge, which is essential to individual self-esteem and empowerment,” says Nokwazi Mdlalose of the City’s Library and Information Services.
“Being the primary cultural and scientific institutions for providing information, libraries play a crucial role in building bridges to books and information by helping people to learn new skills, discover history and culture and access remote research findings,” says Mdlalose.
The City has been a keen supporter of the written word and World Book and Copyright Day for many years.
For instance, two years ago it called on its own employees, communities, the private sector, various organisations and book lovers to donate books in a drive to collect “a million books” to the underprivileged.
At the time, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Development Clr Chris Vondo emphasised the importance of introducing children to reading at an early age.
Some of the activities on Saturday will include meeting and greeting the authors and celebrating the act of reading through poetry, book reviews, storytelling and reading aloud.
About the authors:
Mike Alfred is a poet who lives in Johannesburg. His poems have been widely published in anthologies and literary journals. He has three collections of poetry and a book about the city and people of Johannesburg.
Donato Francisco Mattera, better known as Don Mattera, is a poet and author born in Westbury, Johannesburg. He is the author of Memory is a Weapon, an autobiography set in Sophiatown.
Joanne MacGregor, who was born in Johannesburg, is a counselling psychologist in private practice. She is the author of Jenima Jones & The Great Bear Adventure.