Conakry named ‘World Book Capital for 2017’

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Wednesday 22 Jul 2015 - 10:06 Makkah mean time-6-10-1436 Photo from International Publishers Association (IPA) website Paris (IINA) – Conakry, the capital of the Republic of Guinea, has been named World Book Capital for 2017 by the UNESCO. The international committee of experts singled out Conakry “on account of the quality and diversity of its program, in particular its focus on community involvement” as well as “for its well-structured budget and clear development goals with a strong emphasis on youth and literacy”. While welcoming the quality of all applications received by UNESCO for the title of World Book Capital 2017, UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova endorsed on Tuesday the Committee’s decision to designate Conakry World Book Capital for 2017. “Books, learning and reading are key to human life. The strong investment of the Republic of Guinea in promoting books and literacy bears witness to a clear vision of culture and education as drivers of development and recovery, and UNESCO is determined to support these efforts,” Bokova said in congratulating Conakry. The World Book Capital is selected every year by the international organizations that represent the three major sectors of the book industry; the International Publishers Association (IPA), the International Booksellers Federation (IBF) and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA). Conakry is the 17th city to be designated World Book Capital, after Wroclaw (2016), the largest city in western Poland. AB/IINA