The Durban International Book Fair (DIBF) is all set to kick off, at the start of August, offering guests a taste of the rich melting pot of literary wonder in the only UNESCO City of literature in Africa.
The event will run over a period of seven days, from 1 to 5 August at Sibaya Casino and 6 to 7 August at Pick n Pay Durban North. The co-founder of Made in Durban and the Durban Book Fair, Anivesh Singh said that the DIBF is a wonderful platform to bring together people from diverse backgrounds with a shared interest in the written word.
He said: “Durban is the only UNESCO City of literature in Africa and it has such a rich history of writing and writers. Book Fairs and books are good for intellectual stimulation and for bringing people to discuss creative ideas.”
He added: “DIBF will have a really exciting group of more than a hundred writers with books to suit every taste. The Fair has a strong academic programme with academics from virtually every major South African university who will participate. Every genre will be featured from Children’s Books to romance writing, academic books, political commentary.”
Apart from books and book launches, by many prominent and emerging local authors, there will be sessions on Indonesian Puppet Theatre, editing workshops, an auction of rare and collectible books and talks on funding for literature by the National Arts Council and KZN Department of Sports, Arts and Recreation.
Bibliophiles can also look forward to cranial massage sessions, chess and to sip on some good coffee while attending fascinating discussions and talks with the likes of Peter Adams, Guru Redhi and Hamish Kyd who will be receiving a lifetime achievement award. A SADAG session on mental health with author of Orphaned by Suicide Alicia Sewdass and Glynis Horning of Waterboy: Making sense of my son’s suicide with Dr Hemant Nowbath will also be held.
Sewdass is a South African author, an anti-suicide activist and the founder of ‘Surviving Suicide’, a suicide awareness support group on Facebook. Surviving Suicide is aimed at giving hope, inspiration, and motivation to those struggling with mental health issues as well as those dealing with the aftermath caused by suicide.
At a tender age of 12, she became an orphan. Sewdass’ autobiography ‘Orphaned by Suicide: Life after losing an entire family to a Murder-Suicide’, came to life and was self-published in July 2021.
Horning is an award-winning freelance writer whose assignments have taken her from the townships of apartheid SA to the Rwandan refugee camps in Zaire, from the Amazon jungle to ice floes in Patagonia. Horning is the recipient of the Discovery Health Journalism Award for Best Health Consumer Reporting and Feature Writing, the Pfizer Mental Health Journalism Award and a Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism.
She was the Galliova Health Writer of the Year consecutively for the past four years. Nothing could have prepared her for the loss of her son at 25. She lives in Durban with her husband Chris and their younger son, Ewan.
The Durban International Programme can be downloaded from www.madeindurban.co.za. The event is free to attend and teachers are encouraged to attend with their learners. If registered to attend they will qualify for a pack of free books for their school library worth R500.
