Last Friday week, President of the Beyond Kultura Events (BKE) Foundation handed over the bilingual book ‘Reis mee en ontdek Curacao’/Ban Keiru I descubÍi Korsou’, that was published by the National Library of Curacao (BNK) eind 2019.
The BNK has collaborated with local banks, Tourist Organizations, bookstores, Communication companies, the Oil refinery, etc. to realize a full program of literary related fun activities and the publishing and distribution of this book. Those entities support the economic development of the island and that starts with having a literate society. The full-colored hardcover book contains 15 winning stories of mainly Dutch Caribbean authors and some from The Netherlands. They have won a writing competition. Around 45 authors participated. The books were distributed to all primary schools in Curacao.
The aim is two-folded. Firstly, to enhance reading amongst the youth by presenting them with local based stories. Secondly, to create broad awareness of children and adults on exited Tourist spots in Curacao. The book serves also the tourists, who want to get the taste of the local culture. The stories had to be about children, experiencing exciting things at a touristic spot in Curacao.
The message in the story needed to portray the desire to visit the place. This serves also the Tourists who would like to enjoy the island and making him or her wanting to come back. For years, the ‘Siman di Ban Lesa’ (the Children book week in Curacao) did not have the means to publish a book about the year Book week theme. Around 30 authors have been visiting schools to read and tell stories and participate in book promotion and signing sessions.
The message in the story should be, that something great of Curaҫao is portrayed at a Touristic spot, making tourists enjoy and wanting to come back. A story also needs to portray that the Island must be kept clean.
From Sint Maarten, Loekie Morales participated and won with the story ‘Ghosts in the Octagon?’ All the winning authors received 4 copies of the book. Morales has participated in the ‘Siman Ban Lesa’ 2019.
Morales, ‘Being one of the authors with your story in this ‘pearl’, of a book, is really an honor. 2019 has been a tremendous year for me. Next to this story, I have finalized ‘STORM’, a real Sint Maarten based story, which Beyond Kultura will launch end of January 2020. I have also been working on a documentary about ‘More than 50 years of Casa Manita’ (an Orphanage), to commemorate its 50 years anniversary. It will get the documentary as a present for putting structure into the lives of so many women. The documentary is projected to be finalized in March 2020.’‘When you put the right energy, focus, creativity, and passion into a project, it will surely eventually pay off. I would like all children of Sint Maarten to enjoy those beautiful stories in this book, but it was published with a limited edition. I was happy to be able to give 1 copy as a present to the Philipsburg Jubilee Library for its Caribbean Collection.
