South Africa is the guest country of honor at the 20th Venezuela International Book Fair (Filven 2024) and its delegation brings to this literary meeting an immersive experience that will allow the public to take a trip to South Africa through virtual reality, from Friday, July the 12th to Sunday the 21st.
This was announced by Jolene Bhadais, Director of Communications and Marketing of the National Library of South Africa, and Cathrine Mokoena, Director of Books and Publications of the Ministry of Sports, Arts and Culture of that nation, who are already in Venezuela and participated this Tuesday July 9 at a press conference about Filven with the Minister of People’s Power for Culture, Ernesto Villegas.
“With our immersive and virtual reality experience we want to give the public who attends the fair an opportunity to take a trip to South Africa, to experience something of what we have to offer as a country. It’s going to be very interesting. Come to the fair,” said Bhadais.
For her part, Makoena added: “It’s like giving them the opportunity to see a roller coaster, to see what the South African experience is like, and we don’t want them to miss this opportunity to be able to show them that part of our country.”
Mokoena also expressed her satisfaction and gratitude for South Africa’s participation in Filven as the guest of honor.
“We are very grateful to the Government of Venezuela for being the guest of honor in this edition number 20 of Filven; We see this as an opportunity to open our literary market and, further, in promoting our relationships; “We see this as an opportunity for cultural exchange and to promote our celebration of the 30 years of democracy in which we left apartheid.”
She indicated that the Filven celebration coincides with Nelson Mandela International Day, July 18:
“We are very happy that this celebration coincides with the month in which we honor International Mandela Day, since it is impossible today to talk about South Africa without mentioning Nelson Mandela,” said Mokoena.
“And we believe that it is the beginning of many collaborations that we are going to have between both countries, especially now in the literary sector,” said the director of Books and Publications of the Ministry of Sports, Arts and Culture of South Africa.
South Africa, located at the southern end of the African continent, adds 31 literary activities to the Filven program and will participate with 15 writers.
The South African delegation will be made up of writers Fiona Snyckers, Takalani Mutshinyani, Vuyiswa N. Nodada, Segametsi Charmaine Mrwebi, Shubnum Khan, Monicaca Thulisile Bhuda, Cliffordene Norton and writers Melvin Kabwe, Jeremiah Mofokeng-Makhetha, Tshifhiwa Given Mukwevho, Thatayaone Gilbert Motsaathebe , Stanley Montsho, Vernon Head, Sabata-mpho Mokae and Siphiwo Mahala.