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Media Release
CITIGROUP AND SILVERFISH BOOKS TO HOST THE INAUGURAL
INTERNATIONAL LITERARY FESTIVAL IN JULY
Renown International and Local Writers to Present Works at Conference
Kuala Lumpur, 27 April 2004 - Citigroup, together with Silverfish
Books, will host for the first time, an international literary festival,
which will see international and local writers and academics teaching,
sharing and exchanging ideas on literary issues at a literary festival
that will be held over four days.
The Citigroup Kuala Lumpur International Literary Festival will take place
from 29 July to 1 August 2004 at the Renaissance Hotel Kuala Lumpur.
Speaking at the launch of the Citigroup Kuala Lumpur International Literary
Festival, organizer and proprietor of Silverfish Books, Mr Raman Krishnan
said that the conference is the first for this region.
"A festival of such nature will certainly put Malaysia on the world
literary map" said Mr Krishnan. "This is the first time ever
that a literary festival of such magnitude is organized, not only in the
country, but in the Asean region."
Elaborating on the Citigroup Kuala Lumpur International Literary Festival,
Mr Raman said that, "Through this literary festival, we hope to promote
a reading and writing culture, nurture the teaching and learning of literature
in schools, colleges and universities in the country and to promote creative
thinking and writing."
According to Mr Krishnan, the proprietor of Silverfish Books, the rationale
for the Festival is quite simple: in economic terms Malaysia maybe a prince
amongst nations. But intellectually we live together with the world's
paupers. It has been said that an average Malaysian reads only two pages
a year.
The Citigroup Kuala Lumpur International Literary Festival is also held
as part of the National Reading Month of Malaysia, organized by the National
Library in the month of July.
Mr Piyush Gupta, Citigroup Country Officer for Malaysia applauded this
initiative.
"Citigroup is very proud to be associated with this event. As a company,
we have always been supportive of initiatives in the field of arts and
literature. The Citigroup Kuala Lumpur International Literary Festival
is another opportunity for us to support the growth of the community in
which we operate."
Elaborating further, Mr Gupta said, "As part of our 'Reaching Out'
community program, we hope to touch all facets of the society through
three pillars of activities: Financial Education, Education and Building
the Community. The Citigroup Kuala Lumpur International Literary Festival
is an activity under our third pillar."
"Citigroup operates in more than 100 countries, and in each, our
workforce is more than 98 percent local. This creates an environment with
an inherent respect for diverse backgrounds and different cultures, combined
with our deep desire to make each community a better place, because we
are there," added Mr Gupta.
Writers from 10 countries, apart from Malaysia, are expected
to attend the conference, with Mr Amit Chauduri of India - the internationally
renown author of A Strange and Sublime Address, Afternoon Raag, Freedom
Song, A New World and Real Time - delivering the keynote address.
Apart from Mr Chaudhuri who has won numerous literary award like the Betty
Trask Award, the Commonwealth Writers Prize, the Southern Arts Literature
Prize and the Encore Award (for best second novel). Freedom Song won the
Los Angeles Times Book Prize (Fiction) in 2000, some of the other writers
who have expressed interest are Mark O'Conner and Satendra Nandan from
Australia, Rendra, Ayu Utami and Sitok Serengengge of Indonesia, Isnam
Taljic of Bosnia, Alfian Saat and a host of other writers from Singapore,
Christian Kracht of Switzerland.
"We are still awaiting confirmation of leading writers from the Britain,
Canada, Japan and the United States. As for writers from Malaysia, all
Sasterawan Negara and leading writers will be invited to participate,"
said Mr Krishnan.
Amongst Malaysian writers to be featured will be Mr Cecil Rajendra and
Salleh ben Joned who will be launching new books during the festival and
Mr Lloyd Fernando and Mr Kee thuan Chye who will be re-releasing new editions
of previously released material.
The other highlights (confirmed to date) of the Festival will be, the
Literary Conference by MACLALS - Theme: Evolving Faces - Identities and
the printed page, a short Creative Writing Course from a leading University
in Australia and a Bloom's Day Centenary celebrations (with a photo exhibition
and readings by actors in period costumes) by the Irish Embassy.
Mr Simon Merrifield, the Deputy High Commissioner for Australia. says
that Australia has much in common in Malaysia, and that the freshness
and dynamism of Australian writing with its clearly identifiable voice,
has more in common with Malaysia's young and growing literary scene than
those with more established literary traditions.
The Citigroup Kuala Lumpur International Literary Festival 2004 is organised
by Silverfish Books, the 'fringe' bookshop in Bangsar Baru together with
The National Library of Malaysia, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, PENA, Association
for Commonwealth Literature and Language Studies of Malaysia (MACLALS)
and the Australian High Commission.
The festival is supported by ten other foreign commissions: British Council,
High Commission of Canada, High Commission of India, Embassy of Ireland,
The Goethe Institute, The Japan Foundation, High Commission of Singapore,
Embassy of the United States, Embassy of Indonesia.
More information and registration for the Citigroup Kuala Lumpur International
Literary Festival 2004 can be found on this webste.
- end -
Raman Krishnan
Silverfish Books Sdn Bhd
Tel: +603-228 448 37
email: kllitfest2004@silverfishbooks.com
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