Roseau, Dominica – August 8, 2008……… One of the signature events of Reunion 2008 in Dominica, The Nature Island Literary Festival and Book Fair will get underway this evening at the University of the West Indies Open Campus on Elmshall Road.
The opening ceremony will begin at 7pm under the distinguished patronage of His Excellency, the President, Dr. Nicholas Liverpool, DAH, OCC. The Festival will be declared open by Prime Minister, Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit.
The star studded all weekend activity will attract cutting edge writers and publishers from the Caribbean and the Diaspora. Mr. Derek Walcott, Winner of the 1992 Nobel Prize for Literature; Mervyn Morris, Poet and Professor of Literature; Marie- Elena John, Author of best selling novel ‘Burnable; Alick Lazare, Author of regional blockbuster, Pharcel ; Ras Mo, Performance Poet par excellence; Alwyn Bully, Playwright and short-story teller and Dr. Lennox Honychurch, Historian and Artist are just some of the artists and writers who will share their vast repertoire of knowledge, experience and skills in the August 8th to August 10th grand activity.
The two day activity with its theme ‘Explore, Discover, Create’ will also feature a Book Fair, Children’s Writing and Reading Workshop, Creative Workshop and an Introduction to Publishing Workshop.
A number of local poets are also expected to read some of their work. The list includes Harry Sealy, Ian Jackson, Kay Polydore, Fr. Clement Jolly, Chrisborne Shillingford, Gloria Augustus among many others.
The year 2008 has been designated by the Cabinet of the Commonwealth of Dominica as Reunion Year in Dominica on the occasion of the country’s 30th Anniversary of Independence from Great Britain.
Since the spectacular launch of Reunion Wive on January 1, 2008, the National Reunion Committee has spearheaded a number of activities and new initiatives to mark this major milestone in Dominica’s development. These include a Workshop on the Cultural Industries in February, the National Photographic Challenge (April-November), the National Rabbit Festival in August, national hikes, panel discussions on village feasts and cultural renewal and health, a resurgence in village feasts, a symposium on community tourism, among other activities.
