National Literary Fair launched under theme: ‘Read! Think! Grow!’

For the second consecutive year, the University of the West Indies Open Campus has collaborated with the Vincentian Association of Artists, Writers and Producers Inc (VAAWP) to host the National Literary Fair.{{more}}

The National Literary Fair, which is scheduled to begin on October 17 and end on October 20, will be held under the theme “Read! Think! Grow!”

While speaking at the official launch on Tuesday, head of the Open Campus Deborah Dalrymple stated that the theme for this year is geared toward encouraging reading among everyone, so that they can engage in critical thinking.

Although students are doing well in certain subject areas, Dalrymple expressed concern that English continues to pose a challenge to some persons.

“We realize that one of the practices that we ought to inculcate, to encourage in our country, not only among young people, but particularly among young people… is reading,” she said. “The idea is to encourage critical thinking, so as you read, you engage the material and you grow intellectually by doing that type of activity”.

Dalrymple is also encouraging persons to participate in the national, four-day event.

“We’d really like the public to come and engage themselves in the material, so that we can, in fact, fulfill part of our mandate at the Open Campus to not only offer tertiary education, but also to be a centre for the arts, be a centre for enhancing our culture,” the head of the campus said.

President of the VAAWP Réne Baptiste stated that greater work needs to be done in educating the general public that “literature is part of your culture”.

“We only seem to translate the word ‘culture’ to mean dance and festivity, but it is not confined to that,” Baptiste, former Minister of Culture said. “Culture comes across a wider section that deals with also the literary arts and publishing in that vein”.

The official opening ceremony for the fair will be held on October 17 at the Open Campus site, beginning at 5 p.m.

During the four-day event, there will be book and art exhibitions that begin at 10 a.m. daily, which will exhibit books from local book shops, as well as art from skilled artists.

Additionally, two Caribbean writers will also take the opportunity to launch their most recent publications on October 19.

These writers include Vincentian Jasmine Davis, who will launch her book entitled “Modern Day Slave Drivers” and Dorbrene O’Marde from Antigua and Barbuda, who will launch “King Short Shirt: Nobody Go Run Me – The Life and Times of Sir Maclean Emanuel” and “Send Out You Hand”.

An evening of poetry with the Masters, which will feature some of the best in St Vincent and the Grenadines, is also included in the exciting line-up.

A number of Vincentian poets and writers will also be receiving awards during the events at the fair.

All events of the National Literary Fair will take place on site at the Open Campus, which is located in Kingstown, opposite the Peace Memorial Hall.