Deputy Minister Rejoice Mabudafhasi launches National Book Week as part of Heritage Month activities, 3 Sept

The Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture, Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi invites members of the media to the launch of National Book Week taking place on 03 September 2015 at Emoyeni Estate, Johannesburg. The campaign will run from 7 to 13 September 2015.

National Book Week is an initiative of the Department of Arts and Culture in association with the South African Book Development Council (SABDC).  It is an annual premier platform through which government, the book sector, media and civil society establish dynamic partnerships for the promotion of the culture of reading.

The campaign will feature a number of reading activities for the young and old including a bus full of activities that will travel throughout the country. Activities will include storytelling, a toy library, poetry, workshop and a mascot called Funda Bala who will distribute books to children.

In an effort to fulfil its key objectives, the national campaign will focus on two key facets, getting people to read and getting more books to South Africans.

#GOINGPLACES, reflects the physical journey of National Book Week travelling throughout South Africa, as well as the magic of books and how reading books can both figuratively and literally take you places. This campaign, which primarily aims to encourage book reading, targets adults, children, youth and students, as well as librarians, teachers, parents and caregivers.

#BUYABOOK is a call to action which seeks to increase the perception of the value in books, particularly for those who do not own any. First in line to heed this call has been publishers Pan Macmillan SA, Penguin Random House SA, and NB Publishers who have offered discounted books that will be sold in Bargain Books and Exclusive Books stores nationwide.

The public is encouraged to purchase the books for R20 and donate them into the NBW book bins in the stores. These books will then be donated to selected communities. Another option is for people to donate books to those they know don’t own one. The campaign targets regular readers, book lovers, book buyers, corporates and philanthropists.

September marks Heritage Month celebrations in South Africa and this year’s theme is “Our indigenous knowledge, our heritage: Towards the identification, promotion and preservation of South African’s living heritage.Government encourages all residents in the Republic of South Africa, and those from the rest of the continent and the African Diaspora who are residents in the country to participate in the Heritage Month activities.

The details of the event are as follows:

Date: Thursday, 3 September 2015
Time: 10h00
Venue: Emoyeni Estate, 15 Jubille Road (Parktown), Johannesburg

Media RSVPs:
Mthuthuzeli Nqumba
Cell: 082 934 2314
Email: MthuthuzeliN@dac.gov.za

Rethabile Selepe
Cell: 072 722 3149
Email: rethabiles@dac.gov.za

Enquiries:
Peter Mbelengwa
Cell: 082 611 8197

Event Category

Share this page

Similar categories to explore