Kinshasa, January 28th, 2023 (CPA).- The French Institute of Kinshasa (IFK) presented, on Thursday, the writers of the 9th edition of the Kinshasa book festival, in Democratic Republic of Congo, during a press conference organized by this cultural centre.
» The Kinshasa book festival, scheduled for February 4th to 11th, will have the ambitious objective of contributing to the emergence of a book industry and the promotion of literature in Democratic Republic of Congo by multiplying meetings and by offering the texts of the rich Congolese literary scene ”, underlined the cultural coordinator of the IFK, Felix Marinov.
And to add: « This celebration will take place in five (5) cities of DRC, namely: Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, Goma, Bukavu and in Kongo Central and will be sanctioned by the awarding of the European » Makomi “prize for Congolese literature whose formula evolves.
« For this year, this event will focus on the books published in the last edition in order to promote the edition of DRC », specified the writer Richard Ali, one of the organizers before adding that « The winner will be awarded assistance for the re-edition of his work in order to make it more available for sale for Congolese readers in general and Kinshasa in particular”.
A new edition for the promotion of Congolese literature
In addition, the national writers present in the room said they were satisfied to participate in this great annual literary meeting which precisely promotes Congolese literature, since this time, some criteria have been added, in particular the quality of work, the content as well as the form of the work. This 9th edition of the book festival is targeted by different literary characters such as poetry, comics, theatre and novels but also several cultural activities such as meetings, debates and conferences around books, round tables , literary workshops, children’s days, book performances, award ceremonies and signing sessions.
The book festival will develop its ramifications throughout the Congolese territory
“The event will be unique, the festivities multiple. The book festival will develop its ramifications throughout the Congolese territory this year,” said Felix Marinov, cultural coordinator of the French Institute in Kinshasa. For him, this meeting of lovers of literature aims to contribute to the emergence of the book industry and the promotion of literature in DRC by multiplying meetings that offer rich texts from the literary scene. The book festival also puts these young people in contact with professionals in their field, author, journalist, literary critic, moderator and publisher, he added.
This year, he said, it will be an opportunity to award the winners of the European competition for Congolese literature called the “Makomi prize « , which is part of a literary revival, observed throughout the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Mr. Emmanuel Mabondo , a young Congolese living in France, author, seized the moment to invite readers to obtain his work « TIYA », in Kikongo, which traces in his mother tongue, his story, the experience of his people.
It is since 2013, that all the European cultural centres in DRC ( Eunic -DRC) organizes with the support of the delegation of the European Union, the great literary meeting of the year called: « The book festival » , an essential moment for all the authors of DRC, poet, cartoonist, literary critic, publisher etc. , we recall.
CPA/
