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Exhibitions industry in Zimbabwe comes alive
Zimbabwe International Book Fair (ZIBF)
April 26, 2004

Organising international events in Zimbabwe in the last few years has proved to be an intricate matter given the bad media hype the country has been receiving. Potential visitors to the country have been inundated with horrific stories of how dangerous it is to visit Zimbabwe and how they ought to carry sufficient basic commodities to see them through their stay, lest they starve to death.

True, like many other African countries, Zimbabwe has had its fair share of economic problems and suffered banishment from the international community. Yet, despite the bad publicity, there are some citizens of the world that have taken it upon themselves to build confidence in this country once more.

The Zimbabwe International Book Fair, sub Saharan Africa's premier book and publishing trade fair showcasing the largest and most diverse annual exhibition of books, magazines, journals, CD-ROMs as well as printing and publishing technology services on the continent, is gearing itself for the 2004 event.

According to the ZIBF Executive Director, Mr Samuel Matsangaise, this year's event is set to be a breath of fresh air to Zimbabwe's events and exhibitions sector in terms of the diversity of people and organisations that have committed themselves to participating.

"This year the book fair has attracted a lot of attention within Africa as well as in the Diaspora. Inquiries have come from as far as the United States, the Caribbean, India and many African countries. There will be a variety of African exhibitors and traders coming to the fair this year and is encouraging given that numbers were beginning to be discouraging in the recent past," he said.

Last year at this time only 20 stands had been taken up and yet this year 144 stands have already been booked. Africa World Press from the United States, African Publishers Network from Cote D Ivoire, Bookmine Limited from Nigeria, CODESRIA from Senegal, the Embassy of Iran and the Embassy of the Czech Republic are among the foreign exhibitors that have confirmed their participation.

The Live Literature Centre, a must see for anyone who intends to visit the book fair, has also attracted a lot of local as well as foreign talent. This is a platform for writers, poets, musicians and other artists to perform or discuss some of their works. It recognizes that most literature is generally written before it is adapted to performance. The quality and variety of performing artistes this year has been greatly improved.

Still talking about the performance of foreign artists in Zimbabwe and how the country is gaining the confidence of outsiders, the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA) bears testimony to this. This event has attracted artistes from the Diaspora to come and perform in Harare.

The internationally acclaimed Waldemar Bastos from Belgium, the 26 year old Soweto Kinch from the United Kingdom, Austrian trombonist, Werner Puntigam, Ben Michael and the Zigzaggers from Malawi, Freshly Ground from South Africa, Spanish guitarist and saxophonist, Jorge Pardo, Ismael Lo from Senegal, Ballet de Londrina from Brazil and Avant - Premieres from France are among those artistes that have realized that Zimbabwe is a safe place to visit after all. These talented artistes have graced Harare, Zimbabwe's capital, to make live performances during HIFA. The country still has internet facilities, bread on the shelves, you name it and other necessities in the shops contrary to widespread international belief.

The Indaba, an international conference where topical issues on and developments in the African book and publishing industry are debated, has been another major attraction.

The theme for Indaba 2004 "African Studies in and outside Africa," has attracted much interest. Much interest has been generated from Africans in the Diaspora, particularly the United States and the Carribeans. There has also been substantial interest shown from Europe, especially Germany. Leading academics on African Studies are expected to attend this year's Indaba and some of their names will be published once all the modalities for their participation are finalised.

The participation of the United States based Women's Caucus African Literature Association (WOCALA) at this year's Indaba's special interest group is yet another testimony of ZIBF attracting participants from around the globe.

Zimbabwe's events and exhibitions industry is coming alive again and it is necessary for Africans and non Africans alike to come and witness for themselves that there really is not much to fear about coming to see cultural exhibits and other areas of interest.

ZIBF 2004 is an event not to miss especially for those organisations across Africa involved in the book and publishing industry. Organisations that have publications that deserve the publicity that ZIBF will accord them should not miss out either.

For more information
Email: information@zibf.org.zw or events@zibf.org.zw.
Web: www.zibf.org.zw

Visit the ZIBF fact sheet

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