Somaliland: Hargeisa International Book Fair, the Sixth and Final Day with Mary Harper

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acrobats bring the fair to an endBy: Mary Harper

HARGEISA – This was the young people’s day. In the morning we had presentations from the young regional Readers’ Clubs. They had come to the book fair from all over Somaliland and beyond, including Sweden. They spoke passionately about reading. I gave each of them a copy of the BBC Network Africa Proverb Book which seemed especially poignant as this was Network Africa’s final week on air.

We then received a surprise visit from the British ambassador to Somaliland, Matt Baugh, the head of DFID Somalia, the British deputy ambassador to Ethiopia and others.

They strolled around the book fair looking at the books, art, fruit and other items on sale. It was all very relaxed and they did not arrive with a big security apparatus (at least not one that I could see).

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