This week, however, the Guinean national sports stadium was packed with people looking to work out their minds rather than their muscles.
The 15th annual “72 Hours of the Book” event in Guinea drew writers, publishers, and readers from all across West Africa and beyond to Conakry.
According to World Bank figures, more than half of the population in this nation is illiterate, and library access is restricted, therefore this annual three-day festival attempts to honor books and encourage literacy.
In Conakry, novelist Bademba Barry said, “We Guinean authors have mobilized strongly to come together and promote this event.” The book appraisal procedure has been underway for 15 years.
Despite the country’s low literacy rate, Guinea boasts a rich literary heritage and more than a dozen publishing houses. While some businesses can easily finance large production runs, the majority cannot. These libraries often focus on foreign literature.
However, this week, the Conakry arena transformed into a haven for aspiring writers, established authors looking to expand their fan bases, and eager readers eager to meet their favorite local authors.
Kamano, an 11-year-old student in a children’s writing class, commented, “I like and what makes me come here is learning things with games… creating stories with things you yourself create out of your own imagination.”
“I like it too much!” he said.
Local authors, such as Ousmane El Hadj, who has used the festival to recruit new readers for the last three years, put up enormous displays of their works in many languages throughout the event.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for authors to be seen,” he says. For those three days, the sole focus will be on books and reading.
