The Port Harcourt World Book Capital 2014 team would like to extend their congratulations to the city of Incheon, South Korea, for its nomination as UNESCO World Book Capital 2015. Incheon’s tenure will commence following an official handover from Port Harcourt in April 2015. As World Book Capital, Port Harcourt will deliver on an exciting array of programmes primarily targeted at young people, to build on the knowledge economy of the city. The Governor of Rivers State, the Right Honourable Chibuike Amaechi, has set up a special committee, chaired by his deputy, His Excellency, Engr. Tele Ikuru, to oversee a team of notable men and women to deliver a successful World Book Capital in 2014. In addition, various stakeholders are teaming up with the Rainbow Book Club to ensure that the city’s tenure is a roaring success. As 2014 also happens to be Nigeria’s centenary, the milestone certainly presents a unique occasion for positive change.

The World Book Capital title is accorded as ‘an exclusive symbolic acknowledgement of the best programme dedicated to books and reading’. According to the World Book Capital Selection Committee, Port Harcourt was selected, beating 10 other contenders, “...on account of the quality of its programme, in particular its focus on youth and the impact it would have on improving Nigeria’s culture of books, reading, writing and publishing to improve literacy rates”.

Once again, congratulations to the people of Incheon, South Korea, on securing this nomination. We are certain that it would impact positively on the South Asian region, much as the Port Harcourt World Book Capital 2014 nomination is expected to have rippling effects on the Niger Delta, Nigeria, and indeed the continent of Africa.

http://www.portharcourtworldbookcapital.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=74:incheon-south-korea-to-succeed-port-harcourt-as-unesco-world-book-capital-2015&catid=33:news&Itemid=194

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