Beaven Tapureta – Winzim Online
Writer Memory Chirere, ZIBF Board Chairperson
THE ZIMBABWE INTERNATIONAL BOOK
FAIR (ZIBF) is in an urgent situation after one of its special gazebos was destroyed
by fire in the morning on May 29, 2021.
In a
statement released to the media, the current ZIBF Board Chairperson, writer Memory
Chirere said the cause of the fire is yet to be established. Although the Fire
Brigade team from the Harare City Council managed to put out the fire, Chirere
said they could not save the gazebo.
“We want to thank the City of Harare Fire
Brigade for their quick response once they were informed. They managed to put
out the fire. But being a timber and thatch building, the speed at which the
fire moved means that the structure was burnt beyond repair,” he said.
The gazebo was dubbed ‘Country of Focus
Gazebo’ because it was used each year by a selected country which is invited to
showcase their books and other cultural materials.
Chirere said countries like Nigeria,
Iran, Ghana and others were once stationed in that spot.
The
gazebo hosted international literary figures thus it had become a special venue
for these legendary authors where they easily interacted with the media and
book lovers.
“The
destroyed gazebo is where the iconic Chinua Achebe alongside Luis Bernardo
Honwana of Mozambique and others showcased their literary oeuvre and addressed
the media during their joint first visit to Zimbabwe. That spot had become a
destination for book connoisseurs from across the world with books being
displayed and briskly sold both on the ground and first floor. This has also
been the venue for the Hifa Poetry Café for some time, now,” said Chirere.
The
unfortunate event has added another load on the ZIBF shoulder which already had
been weighted down by the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. But with the solidarity
so far exhibited by ZIBF friends and partners, local and abroad, not all is
lost.
“However, we are glad to announce that
some partners have already stepped in to assist us with rebuilding the gazebo
and the vicinity. You may want to know that the ZIBFA Executive board and the
General Council were already seized with redoing all our structures and the vicinity
as a matter of urgency,” Chirere said.
He assured book industry stakeholders
that the 2021 ZIBF Theme still stands.
“Our theme for ZIBF 2021 is still ‘Book
Industry: The Dynamics Within’ and is receiving positive responses for the
traditional July-August event,” he said.
The ZIBF started in 1983 and is held
annually in the Harare Gardens in the capital city. Chirere said its location
is strategic as it is surrounded by other arts and cultural structures such as
the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, and now Theatre In The Park.
Meanwhile, we found the following article interesting:
SHARP READ: ONE MARECHERA, TWO POINTS OF VIEW
The vastly different perspectives and treatments in two recent books about Zimbabwean author Dambudzo Marechera leave the reader with tantalising questions beyond the subject matter. Read More
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