The Mayor of Accra, Hon. Elizabeth Kwatsoe Sackey, will today join the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay to host the grand opening of the Accra World Book Capital (AWBC) at the Accra International Conference. 

The event which is under the theme: “Reading to connect minds for social transformation” is expected to be attended by dignitaries, including the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Greater London Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, Members of the Diplomatic Community in Ghana, UNESCO Representatives in the Africa Region and its Paris headquarters, Directors and Representatives of the United Nations Agencies, home and abroad, Development Partners, City Mayors from the World Book Capital Network, and personalities from the International Publishers Association (IPA), International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), as well as the International Authors Forum (IAF) among others. 

The City of Accra was declared as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Book Capital for the year 2023 on 22nd September 2021, to celebrate and promote the literary achievements and cultural heritage of Accra whilst equipping vulnerable and marginalised groups such as children, the youth, head porters (kayayei) and persons living with disability with reading, creative-writing and employable skills.

Activities earmarked for the year-long programme are aimed at using books and reading to promote positive social change in the city of Accra and the rest of the country. 

Some of the activities will include the introduction of mobile libraries to reach marginalized groups, the holding of workshops to promote reading and writing of books in different Ghanaian languages, the establishment of skills and training centres for unemployed youth and the organization of competitions to showcase Ghanaian arts and culture and promote inclusivity.

Source: Ghana/Sompaonline.com/Nana Yaw Boamah