SXMElections.com

MARIGOT/PHILIPSBURG--A host of international authors, writers and poets from all over the world, including countries such as Brazil, India, Panama, France, the United Kingdom and United States, will be travelling to the island for the thirteenth annual St. Martin Book Fair.

The Book Fair, to be held June 4-6, will be officially opened at Territorial Media Tech Centre in Spring Concordia, Marigot, Thursday, at 8:00pm. President of the Collectivité of St. Martin Aline Hanson and Prime Minister of St. Maarten Marcel Gumbs will attend the opening ceremony.

Keynote speaker for the event will be poet, essayist, dancer and award-winning novelist Tishani Doshi. Her book The Adulterous Citizen will be featured during the event, which will include guest recitals by Oluwakemi Linda M. Banks from Anguilla and novelist Gisèle Pineau (Guadeloupe). The opening evening will be concluded with book signings and a meet and greet with local and visiting authors.

Several pre-Book Fair activities are scheduled earlier during the week, among which is a discussion with business and political leaders on economic models in the Caribbean with guest speaker Luiz Bernardo Pericás from Brazil at Mr. K’s Cigar Lounge on Sucker Garden Road, today, Wednesday, at 6:00pm.

New writers and leading authors will be visiting primary and secondary schools to discuss their work, their experience with writing books and the value of reading and literature with pupils, students and teachers on Thursday and Friday morning.

A discussion between new-generation authors and hip-hop artistes and teenagers, high school students and rappers with Faizah Tabasamu, Fola Gadet, Nikky MC and 2015 Road March King Rumari Rogers about the lyrics and expressions of today’s popular songs, music and dance will be taking place at University of St. Martin (USM) on Friday, at 2:00pm.

A literary jazz evening at Canoa restaurant in Oyster Pond featuring no less than 18 authors and jazz musician Connis Vanterpool is scheduled for Friday at 8:00pm.

The main Book Fair event, featuring exhibitions, book sales and signings, workshops and panel discussions will be held as usual at USM on Saturday, 8:00am to 4:00pm. Additionally, there will be storytelling, workshops and book signings at the Territorial Media Tech Center in Concordia, 9:00am to 12:00pm.

The workshops at USM feature a wide array of subjects, among which are arrowroot; blogging; health and banking; sexualization of minor boys and girls in pop media; the life and music of Bankie Banx and writing.

A panel discussion on developments in Caribbean theatre with Nicole de Weever (Art Saves Lives), Felix Fleming (Sunshine Theatre Company Anguilla), Clara Reyes (National Institute of Arts) and linguist Rhoda Arrindell will also be held.

Soualigan Fyah will be presenting an open-air poetry reading by young poets and spoken word artistes “Under the Gazebo,” 12:00noon to1:30pm.

The traditional Presidents Forum will be addressing challenges to Caribbean unity. After an introduction by USM’s Interim President and Dean of Academics Francio Guadeloupe, panelists Ayelezi Novivor (Guadeloupe/Togo) André Fouad (Haiti) and Pericás will be addressing issues, such as immigration, denationalization of citizens, the new USA-Cuba relations and the remaining “colonies” in the Caribbean. The discussion will be moderated by author, literary critic and journalist Fabian Badejo.

The schedule at the Media Tech Center mentions storytelling, book signings, a multilingual poetry workshop and a conversation and book signing session with Gisèle Pineau, author of Les voyages de Merry Sisal at Librairie des Isles in Concordia, Marigot.

 The Book Fair will be closed off with the main book launch and closing ceremony at luxury villa Les Jardins de Bellevue in Marigot, Saturday at 8:00pm. The programme will feature the launch of Columbus, the Moor by US author Charles Matz, guest speaker Fabienne Viala (UK/France), a guest performance by Bankie Banx and the presentation of the Presidents’ Award by Book Fair coordinator Shujah Reiph.

The 13th annual St. Martin Book Fair is organized by Conscious Lyrics Foundation and House of Nehesi Publishers, in collaboration with St. Maarten Tourist Bureau, USM, LCF Foundation and St. Martin Tourist Office.