Reading Cornerstone For Inclusive, Equitable Society – Akufo-Addo3 min read

Speaking at the official launch of the World Book Capital, 2023 in Accra, the President emphasised that it was imperative for Ghana and Africa to strive for the development of books and creative art industries to harness their full potential.

He stressed that education, the creative arts, and culture were catalysts for creating opportunities and more decent jobs for the youth.

“The power of books and reading must be the cornerstone to achieve a more inclusive, equitable, and peaceful society. The government, recognising the need to address barriers to access to equity and inclusivity in all aspects of societal lives, has taken several noble actions – including the making of secondary education in our public schools free, provision of more schools and science, technical, engineering and mathematics (STEM) centres across the country, the introduction of adaptive curricula at all levels, and improving the quality of the teaching profession,” he said.

He said the country was delighted that Accra has joined the prestigious World Book Capital’s Network, which is committed to promoting shared values of education, life-long learning and freedom of expression.

“It is with pleasure to join you to launch the UNESCO World Book Capital 2023. Winning the World Book title of Accra is no mean achievement. It’s a great potential to contribute to education, culture and the wealth of our nation. It’s also an acknowledgment of the giant strides Ghana and Africa are making to develop our book in creative industries as well as scale up the youth through the transformative power of reading for societal development,” he added.

The network, spearheaded by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and governed by its charter and mission, upholds the right to literacy, reading and lifelong learning.

The campaign was on the theme ‘Reading to Connect Minds for Social Transformation’, and aimed at contributing to the attainment of economic, socio-cultural, and environmental goals.

President Akufo-Addo applauded the Inter-Ministerial Committee led by the Ghana Book Development Council and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly for putting together a convincing dossier that won Ghana that enviable status for the sub-region.

“For us in Ghana, the Accra Book Capital means more than a reading campaign. It is an opportunity for government and international partners to leverage these diverse linkages to culture and education to deepen our collective actions to make progress on the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” he emphasised.

Other key outcomes encompass the publication of about 100 new titles in various Ghanaian languages, increasing awareness creation of cultural heritage sites in the country, and building the capacity of about 200 creative arts industry practitioners.

Ms. Audrey Azoulay, the Director-General of UNESCO, said cultivating the culture of reading was a treasure that played a crucial role in education. Therefore, the UN would not relent in partnering with developing countries to promote strategies and measures to encourage youths to take an interest in reading.