World’s Largest Floating Book Fair Logos Hope to Call on Colombo Port Sri Lanka on March 18

27th January 2011, www.island.lk, By Harischandra Gunaratna

The world’s largest floating book fair, Logos Hope, will arrive at the Colombo Port on March 18 and will be in the country till April 03. The exhibition will be open to the public from March 19 – April 03.

The ship will exhibit half a million books and will have a wide selection with 7,000 different titles ranging from education, technology, history, philosophy, art, cookery and fiction to a selection of children’s books as well.

The ship will be in the dry docks for necessary repairs and will leave for Tuticorin on May 10 and will return to Galle on June 30 and continue the exhibition till July 18.

In an interview with The Island Financial Review at its host hotel, The Global Towers, Wellawatte, the Project Director of the ship for the Sri Lankan visit Lenhert Plaatjies of Namibia said, "Our mission is to express mercy in a tangible manner and give hope to millions of people around the world and thus we want to show the different nations that it is possible for us to live together and bring unity through diversity."

He said that the crew of the floating book fair consists of people from more than 50 different nationalities and this is the binding factor.

"Thirty percent of its total income is generated from the sale of books while the balance is pocketed-out by us," Plaatjies explained.

All those serving the book fair numbering about 400 are volunteers on a two year contract and our focus is on knowledge and we want to help the needy communities where ever we go, he said.

We provide relief aid to underdeveloped communities joining hands with the local NGOs and government institutions.

"We will be providing free books to these communities as well as educational institutions and set up libraries in such places," Plaatjies added.

The books could be purchased at affordable prices he said adding that the floating book fair is operated by a German based organization, GBA ships.

These books are provided to us by the suppliers at a very low cost.

We will be recruiting staff for the ship from Sri Lanka as well, he said.

To meet our expenses on board during the two years we are required to raise money within our own communities, he said.

Plaatjies said that the dawn of Peace in the country augurs well for the economic development as well as tourism and was confident that those visiting Sri Lanka on board "Logos Hope" will carry the message that it is a safe place to visit.