PAN-AFRICAN WRITERS' SYMPOSIUM

Dialogue on Non-Fiction Writers' Organisations

The Academic and Non-Fiction Authors’ Association of South Africa (ANFASA) in association with the National Book Week 2010 will be hosting a Pan-African Writers’ Symposium from the 12^th to the 13^th of September 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The National Book Week 2010 is an inaugural project that has been developed by the South African Book Development Council (SABDC), in partnership with the Department of Arts and Culture, to encourage reading amongst South Africans and find ways to strengthen industry initiatives.

This symposium will be one of the activities during this event. It will bring together non-fiction authors and non-fiction authors’ associations across the continent and provide a forum where they can discuss issues relating to non-fiction writing, ranging from electronic publishing, copyright and contracts to research resources and national book policies.

The following non-fiction authors' associations will be participating in this event:

Virginia Phiri is a founder member and current Chairperson of Zimbabwean Academic and Non-Fiction Authors' Association. An accountant by profession and also an African Orchid expert, she lives and works in Harare. Her works in fiction and non-fcition are featured in Zimbabwe Women Writers anthologies and she has extensively co-authored articles in Orchid Journals at home and abroad. She was awarded an Urkunde and Honorary Life Membership of the German Orchid Society in recognition of her work in research and writing articles about African orchids since 1996.

Zimbabwean Academic and Non-Fiction Authors' Association (ZANA) The Zimbabwean Academic and Non-Fiction Authors Association (ZANA) was inauguarated on the 6th December, 1996 in Harare. This was after it was clear that needs of Academic and Non-Fiction authors were not catered for by the Zimbabwe Writers Union that had existed since the early 1980's.It was on the 3rd August, 1996 that two Norwegian organisations Kopinor an RRO, The Norwegian Non-Fiction Writers and Translators Association (NFF) representatives and Zimcopy a Zimbabwean RRO's representative met 20 Academic and Non-Fiction writers at Longmans Zimbabwe officies during the Zimbabwe International Book Fair.The objective of the meeting was to look into the plight of the Zimbabwean Academic and Non-Fiction writers. As it was clear that this group of writers was important in research and education, writers were encouraged to organise themselves. This meant coming up with an organisation that would represent the writers.Kopinor, NFF and Zimcopy offered to support the new organisation once it was formed. Zimcopy offered its offices for use by the interim commitee, Kopinor and NFF were to look into possibilities of funding the organisation once it was inaugurated.Nine months after the Zimbabwean Academic and Non-Fiction Authors Association was inaugurated, NFF started funding the organisation. Before that the interim committee members and the substantive Board members contributed money for stationery, telephones, faxes and other expenses that arose to keep the organisation in the making going. Venues for meetings were offered by Zimcopy, Zimbabwe Book Development Council and Zimbabwe Women Writers for free. The organisation started with 25 paid up members in Harare, that became the Harare chapter. That was followed by Bulawayo, Mutare, Gweru, Masvingo and Chinhoyi chapters. To date the organisation has 350 paid up members.

Rev. Christopher Benjamin Peter is the Chairman of the Kenyan Nonfiction and Academic Authors' Association as well as a senior lecturer at St Paul's university. He is the founder of Zapf Chancery Research Consultants and Publishers, has authored and edited over 20 books, peer-reviewed papers and 25 other published pieces in several countries. He is a consultant and trainer in research, writing and academic publishing.

Kenya Nonfiction and Academic Authors Association (KENFAA) has been operational in Kenya for the past 10 years now. Currently it has 110 members (published authors of nonfiction and academic writings) all over Kenya. Its main activities include protection of intellectual prpperty rights of its members and capacity-building opportunities. It is mainly supported from the kind grants from the Norwegian Copyright Protection Association and Norwegian Non-Fiction Writers and translators Organisation.

Professor Osa Egonwa is a visual artist, writer and human developer educated at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and at the University of Benin, Benin City Nigeria. He has been active in Non-governmental Organisations and professional associations since 1980. He was the president of the Society of Nigerian Artists from 2001-05 and a board member of the Nigerian collecting society - Reproduction Right Society of Nigeria (REPRONIG) from 2005-09. He is currently dean of the faculty of Arts at Delta State University and the president of the Society of Non-Fiction Authors of Nigeria.

Society of Non-Fiction Authors of Nigeria (SONFAN) began in November 2008 with a five man interim executive. It was formally inaugurated in November 2009 at a meeting in Benin City. Presently it has about 150 registered authors across Nigeria's tertiary institutions. It has officers in every local chapter and zonal coordinators in the six geo-political zones of Nigeria. Quarterly meeting are held on a rotational basis in the zones while chapters hold monthly meetings where matters of mutual interest to authors are tabled and discussed. Plans are under way for more technical seminars and sensitization workshops across the nation to reach more members. The strong chapters at Abraka, Wilberforce island and Awka hold colloquia and organize book fairs. The second half of 2010 will witness more sensitization workshops and seminars such as authors/publishers contracts.

Barolong Seboni is co-founder of the University of Botswana Writers’ Workshop and the Writers’ Association of Botswana. He was poet-in-residence at the Scottish Poetry Library, Edinburgh Scotland in 1993, and Visiting Writer of the International Writers’ Program at the University of Iowa, USA in 2003. He is currently a Senior Lecturer in the English department at the University of Botswana.

The Writers Association of Botswana (WABO) was established in 1980 with the primary objective of producing, presenting and promoting works in all fields of literature in Botswana. To achieve this WABO organizes workshops and seminars for the stimulation of literary and cultural expression, and publishes a literary journal called MAHUBE. WABO encourages research towards improving creative thought and creative writing. Over the years the Association has established links with local, regional and international organizations and other interested bodies with similar objectives.

Mike Mvona is a journalist by profession, an editor and public relations practitioner. He holds several arts certificates including an Advanced Certificate in Copyright and Related Rights in the Global Economy from Stockholm, Sweden. In 2003, he was awarded a Certificate of Achievement by the Blantyre Media College as a journalist and creative writer who has influenced the development of writing in Malawi. In 2004 he was chosen by the American Biographical Institute for his distinguished outstanding performance in literature and conferred with him an Honorary Appointment to the Research Board of Advisors.

The Malawi Writers Union (MAWU) was formed in September 1995 It aims to promote a writing and reading culture in order to uplift the country’s cultural and educational standard. The current membership is about 600. Of this figure about 200 are budding writers, Women Writers add up to 120, the Non Fiction Writers Desk has 50 writers and the Religious Writers Desk has 60 writers. Established Writers (those who have published) are about 120. The Union has also a network of school affiliate writers clubs numbering about 80 in secondary schools, colleges and universities.

Mr Gerard Telot is the Chairperson of the Mauritius Society of Authors (MASA) and a musician. He holds qualifications in music studies (Violin) from the Royal College of Music London, has received a scholarship to study with Dora Short of the Julliard Institute, New York, as well as a scholarship in orchestra studies from the University of London. He also studied with Rodney Friend ‘Once Leader of the New York Philharmonic, Michèle Swhalbe of the Berlin Philharmonic. He has also done freelance work with several English Orchestras.

The Mauritius Society of Authors (MASA) is the sole body corporate in Mauritius representing and defending authors’ rights. It has been in existence for over 20 years. MASA’s key function is to administer the rights in the dramatic, musical, literary and artistic works of its members and the members of its sister societies in the world: CISAC (Confederation Internationale des Societes d’Auteurs et Compositeurs). MASA was established under the 1986 Copyright Act of Mauritius as a body corporate under the law. Its Board of Management comprises seven representatives of Ministries including the Prime Minister’s Office and Ministry of Arts and Culture and also seven elected members from the General Assembly of MASA. It functions as a Collective Management Organisation to negotiate and license with users of protected works. It is a multi-disciplinary Society with some 4,000 associated members and 450 members. It collects some 1.5 million US dollars per year which is distributed amongst its members abroad. MASA has adhered to the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisation (IFRRO) since 2007 which enables it to administer the Reprographic Rights on behalf of its members in Mauritius and abroad by means of Bilateral Agreements. It has just started to collect with Universities and Colleges. Public Lending Rights — Some universities have already agreed to do it and MASA is waiting for the green light of the Councils to sign the M.O.U.

Programme and Registration form

For more information send an email to info@anfasa.org.zaor call (011) 712 8008