National Book Week 2012 - MDDA exhibition and media literacy workshop

The MDDA has an exhibition stand with publications of various community and small commercial print projects (newspapers and magazines) and research reports. The exhibition runs between 6-8 September 2012, at the Red Location Museum, New Brighton, Port Elizabeth. The Media Literacy and Culture of Reading Workshop will take place on Friday, 7 September 2012 between 10h00 and 12h00. The target audiences for the workshop are school learners, educators and out-of-school youth.

The National Book Week which is an initiative of the South African Book Development Council (SABDC) in collaboration with the Department of Arts and Culture coincides with International Literacy Day on 8 September. The MDDA Chief Executive Lumko Mtimde describes the objective of the Agency support for the National Book Week and participation being to encourage and promote the culture of reading, increase awareness of the importance of reading for the development of the nation and to promote publishing industry skills for the benefit of South African and in particular indigenous languages authors. Mtimde says this initiative is in line with Section 3 (v) of the MDDA Act which requires the Agency to support initiatives which promote literacy and a culture of reading. The MDDA has a mandate to create an enabling environment for media development and diversity that is conducive to public discourse and that which reflects the needs and aspirations of all South Africans.