Spotlight on Africa

Africa is an extraordinary reservoir of potential new readers, ideas and creativity in the publishing industry, in particular for children and young people.
With this in mind, BCBF host a new edition of Spotlight on Africa, in partnership with the International Publishers Association (IPA) and with the support and collaboration of the Italian Trade Agency and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
This year the programme brings to the Fair 26 excellent publishing houses from 11 African countries and presents a panel dedicated to the African publishing scene and reading culture at the Authors Café. 

Two meetings will offer a valuable focus on African publishing as part of the Spotlight on Africa project: “Readers of the Future”, will provide analysis and a look at the future prospects and possibilities concerning the publishing market of a continent that, in the next 50 years, will become home to some of the world’s most populous countries, featuring: Lawrence Njagi (Chairman of the African Publishers Network, Kenya), Anges Félix N'Dakpri (Publisher & Director of Abidjan International Book Fair, GAD Editions, Ivory Coast), Asare Konadu Yamoah (CEO & President of Ghana Publishers Association, Adaex Educational Publications Ltd., Ghana), Julia Claire Norrish (Executive Director of Book Dash, South Africa). Also scheduled to take place is the presentation of the results of Book Dash, the event that will engage 6 African creative minds, including authors, illustrators and designers present at the fair, in the 12-hour production of a book from scratch, from the conceptual stages to publication. An opportunity for the fair’s professional audience to take an insider look at the entire process that leads to the birth of a title.

The Book Dash Showcase

The Spotlight on Africa 2023 welcomes the showcase of Book Dash's 12-hour publishing model.
Book Dash is a social impact publisher from South Africa that developed a unique way of creating high-quality picture books very quickly, in an effort to address a lack of diverse children’s books accessible to all. Book Dash has published 176 titles in this way, and BCBF is proud to host the inaugural Book Dash outside of Africa. The event involves African creatives including authors, illiustrators and designers in the 12-hour production of books from scratch and concept to publication. The new picture books created are presented at Authors Café on March 8.

In partnership with logo IPA; with the support of BE IT MAECI ICE 

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