UNESCO Approves PH 2014 World Book City

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisations (UNESC)) has designated Port Harcourt City, the Rivers State Capital, as the World Book Capital City (WBCC) of the year 2014.

By this designation, Port Harcourt has become the first city in the African continent to serve as World Book Capital City since the creation of the programme in 2001.

A Director in the Abuja office of the organisation, Mr Joseph Ngu said that UNESCO was impressed with the quality programme of the Rivers State Government, particularly its focus on youth and the impact it will have on improving Nigeria’s culture on book reading, writing and publishing to improve literacy rates.

Mr Ngu said that this prestigious distinction of Port Harcourt will make the city to assume a prominent role among the global community of authors, publishers, translators, printers, book sellers, book distributors, librarians and readers as well as become a hub of the book Universe for an entire year.

“The designation of World Book Capital City also speaks of Port Harcourt’s capacity to inspire a debate on all issues related to the development of book culture in the Nigerian, African and the wider global context”, he said.

While declaring open the event, the Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi said that the mission was to bring back literary arts and culture with a view to restoring the values of the society.

The Governor who was represented by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs Ibim Semenitari said that the government had equipped all public schools in the state to enhance the quality of education.

Later, in an interview with newsmen, Mrs Semenitari described the development as the first of its kind in the African continent since 2001.

She said that Port Harcourt was known for its culture, stressing that it is an indication that the government is achieving some of its milestones as regards literacy, education and agriculture.

Mrs Semenitari also said that through the yearly sponsorship of the Festival, the government would create an enabling environment for writers in the state.