Leaders for Africa Network to hold literature symposium

28 Sep, 2014 - 00:09 0 Views

The Sunday News

LEADERS for Africa Network (LAN) is set to hold a literature symposium that seeks to encompass Pan-Africanism writings that are usually sidelined as a result of a rigid selection process of literature set by other publishers in Zimbabwe.
The project will run from 8 to 10 October in Bulawayo and this year’s theme is Writing the nation and finding the nation in us through writing.

In an interview, the organiser of the event who is also an up-and-coming author, Richard Mahomva, said the convention seeks to encourage and celebrate literature writing in Zimbabwe.

“If you go back to the history of celebrating literature in the country one will notice that we only have the Zimbabwe International Book Fair. As emerging writers we are, however, trying to come up with an initiative that celebrates creative writing and academic writing in one platform.

“Our wish is to publish work that injects outstanding input in all social-science knowledge granaries. In the process LAN intends to open highways for interaction between producers and consumers of literature,” said Mahomva.

He said the organisation’s main concern was that of coming up with emerging legacies of Zimbabwean literature and also ensure that budding writers were given enough avenues to interact with their audiences so that they have an appreciation of what is expected of them.

“The programme also seeks to intensify direct review of contemporary literature through public dialogues that intertwine general and critical appreciation of texts selected annually for this purpose. We also want to market various literature producers and their works. This will also give room for book launches and give room and spotlight to new players in the industry.

“In doing so, however, we are selective of literature. We are looking at literature that celebrates nationalism and Pan-Africanism. We want to look at how literature can be a tool of celebrating our nationalism as a people,” he added.
Mahomva said he hoped that stakeholders in the book industry would come and support them.

“We are hoping that up-and-coming writers will grace the event. We are also hoping that people will come and support us so that we get a chance to hear people’s views on how literature can be improved and celebrated in Zimbabwe,” he said.

LAN is an independent organisation guided by the objectives of Pan-Africanism to create platforms for tackling contemporary African socio-economic and political issues and championing African cultural conservatism through research and publishing as well as creating intellectual dialogue space, creative work, conference and workshop networking.

 

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