The National Literary Festival of Namibia kicked off in Windhoek on Friday.
The two-day event aims to empower authors, publishers, and bookstores and enhance their understanding of publication standards and the challenges they may face in their journey.
The National Literary Festival of Namibia also aims to strengthen the bond between stakeholders by creating a platform for collaboration and mutual growth.
It also seeks to foster a culture of reading, writing, and engaging with literature across Namibia.
"This festival celebrates the rich tapestry of Namibian literature by providing a showcase for local authors to display their works. It is a testament to the vibrancy of our literary scene and an opportunity for all of us to delve into the treasures they have created. Moreover, we are proud to underscore that literature is part of our educational curriculum," said MoEAC's ED, Sanet Steenkamp.
'Let us celebrate authors that already set good examples by contributing to the collection and at the same time encourage aspiring writers to set their minds to task so that they can start and finish their work. Let us not just be inspired to read and listen but to be motivated to craft our own narrative so that we can contribute to the ever-evolving narrative of humanity", explained Sarah Negumbo, Namibia Library & Archives Director.
On this occasion, the Namibian Literature Database was also launched.
"Why should we create a literature database? And I just want to highlight the crucial reasons: access to a vast collection that provides a centralised platform of literary works, research papers, articles, and other written materials. This extensive collection offers researchers and students easy access to a wealth of Namibian books," said Lize Ehlers.
The event was held under the theme ' Open a Book'.
The Chairperson of the NACN said, "When we speak about opening a book, we do not only speak about learning, but we also speak about the enjoyment of imagination and creativity, and when you are able to read and write, there is nothing you cannot possibly accomplish because all things, regardless of their nature, are done through the written word."