Thribasha Reading to be launched next week

• Lockdown relief: First virtual book fair promoting Sri Lankan unity from 15 to 30 September 

The Harmony page of Daily FT is happy to announce the collaboration with Sri Lanka’s first online book fair, an initiative of the Read Plus Consortium of Sri Lankan publishers. The event will facilitate the launch of Thribasha Reading, an initiative that promotes especially self-published writers from the remotest corners of Sri Lanka, from north to south and east to west. Read Plus and Thribasha Reading share the common goals of using language and knowledge for national harmony and wisdom. 

Books can be the silver lining in a stormy cloud that we are now seeing without any end in sight; the current pandemic and the ensuing lockdown. If we are to look at this situation positively, we can see that this is a wonderful chance to remove the mask of ignorance from our minds, remove bad attitudes and take our minds to a brand new level. 

The lockdown phases from last year to now have proved to be beneficial to many who have used it prudently and without giving into the temptation of fear psychosis or misery; two things that reduce our immunity. It is a time to do some of the things you never had time for; especially intellectual or artistic pursuits. The nurturing of a stimulated and holistic mind promotes wellbeing. 

Hence, filling the COVID19 backdrop vacuum where physically held book-fairs are concerned there is an effort to present to Sri Lanka an online book fair that will not just sell books but create a backdrop of wisdom and discernment, two qualities this nation needs.

The Read Plus Foundation committed to promote Lankan intellect as an investment in the minds of the country’s children, youth and adults alike organises this year’s pioneering virtual book fair having gained experience by launching the world’s first online book fair in 2020 having made available to Sri Lanka many foreign publications in addition to the vast local range. 

Thousands of books in all three official languages of Sri Lanka; Sinhala, Tamil and English will be made available for all Sri Lankans. Held in collaboration with Thribasha Reading special events will be organised ranging from debates and discussions on the concepts on knowledge, national heritage, arts and sciences and environment protection.

A separate set of internationally represented events will be organised by Read Plus and its local and international partners that will include talks by diverse subject experts, webinars, professional debates, discussions, various literary programmes and competitions for children and adults. There will also be ‘virtually live’ book launches throughout the book fair. 

Dinesh Kulatunga, a veteran publisher and the founder of Read Plus, believes it will be a refreshing experience for the country to have a personalised virtual book fair that will lay the foundation of taking Sri Lankan intellect building to a new level.

“We are looking forward to this event that will examine in diverse ways the core elements of what makes knowledge useful to society and thereby go well beyond merely selling books. We are in the book business but the way we look at it the book business is not just a commercial enterprise but an evolving opportunity to serve the country,” says Kulatunga, who is also owner of Neptune Publications, which specialises in publishing Sri Lankan heritage-based themes alongside many other local and international cultural themes.

The Read Plus Foundation is a consortium of 15 leading publishing houses in Sri Lanka. Over the past three years, the members of the Foundation have been playing a major role in expanding and exploring the publishing industry, engaging in various reading activities and promoting literature in Sri Lanka and abroad. One of the highlights was the first International Children’s and Youth’s Book Fair in Sri Lanka and South Asia, scheduled to be held in June this year and postponed due to the current health crisis. 

“Although postponed due to the pandemic situation, arrangements are currently being made to hold a specifically focused children’s book festival next year,” says Kulatunga. 

The virtual book fair will feature both local and international authors.

A number of international book fair organisations, including the Frankfurt International Book Fair and the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), are associated with the local and international book festivals of Read Plus. 

The virtual book fair from 15 to 30 September will feature veteran writers and artists who will be reading from their work. 

There will also be a series of writing workshops in Sinhala, Tamil and English. 

The Harmony page of Daily FT is among the English language print media partners of this event.