Best women writers to be honoured

Two prizes recognising Africa’s writing and its publishing industry have been established by the Zimbabwe International Book Fair. It has also implemented a project to select the 50 best books by women writers from Africa.

Unlike many other prizes based in the continent these prizes are not limited to specific countries and, according to the fair organisers, the "rationale…is that the major prizes on Africa’s books are based outside Africa, for example the Noma Award in Japan, The Commonwealth and Caine Prizes in the United Kingdom. There is need to have a truly African prize based on the continent to honour and help stimulate the sector".

The two prizes are the ZIBF Africa Prize, which is to be awarded to the best book published during the preceding year of each fair, and an award for Lifelong Contribution to the African Book Industry.

The lifelong award "award shall be given to those individuals and institutions that have demonstrated commitment of the highest possible order to the African book industry", says the ZIBF. This prize is not limited to Africans and can include any "collaborators and stakeholders who have contributed to the development of the African publishing industry".

As well as the two prizes, the fair is continuing the 100 Best Books initiative with the establishment of a list of Africa’s 50 Best Female Authors. Like the 100 Best Books, which was announced in 2002, the intention is "a compilation of the works of the best female writers from the African continent".

The purpose of the list is to fill in the gaps left by the 100 Best Books list, which included only 17 women writers.

The new list is expected to be announced at the 2005 Zimbabwe book fair.

Meanwhile, the theme for the 2004 book fair is Voices, Dialogue across nations, and in keeping with this trans-national concept, the Indaba, which is held before the fair, will be on African Studies in and outside Africa. The Indaba and fair will run from 31 July to 7 August 2004.

Samuel Matsangaise, executive director of the fair, attended the 2004 London Book Fair, and said the prognosis for the Zimbabwean fair this year is much better than has been the case in the past few years. So far 25 exhibitors, mostly international, have already signed up for the fair, while this time last year there had been no exhibitors lined up, he said.

For more information on the fair and its initiatives visit its new website at www.zibf.org.zw
The fair's previous website is still functional, but does not redirect visitors to the new site. ZIBF is working to remedy this.