Nami book fest to focus on peace
By Chung Ah-young
Nami Island, a famous tourist attraction as the filming location for the drama “Winter Sonata,” will turn into a gigantic “natural library” for 45 days.
The 5th Nami Island International Children’s Book Festival will kick off Oct. 1 and run till Nov. 14 around the scenic island in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province.
This year’s event will feature an international project of newly created and illustrated stories under the theme of peace. The picture book collection “Peace Story” is a collaboration of 42 illustrators and authors such as Martin Auer, Christos Boulotis, Salah Elmur and Susanne Gervay representing 22 countries around the world. The book shows how devastating a war is for children through multicultural tales and images. Original illustrations from the book will be on display.
The late author Gendrutis Morkunas from Lithuania, who died during the preparation for the event and the publication of “Peace Story,” will be honored in a retrospective exhibition. Morkunas devoted his entire life to children’s literature that reflected his unique world and spirit as an Eastern European author.
Other world-renowned authors and illustrators such as Jennifer Beck and Lindy Fisher from New Zealand, Tajima Shinji from Japan, Aysel Gurmen and Betul Sayin from Turkey, Rumana Husain from Pakistan, Erfan Nazarahari from Iran and Ellis Vance from the United States will take part in the storytelling sections.
The “Hello, Dear Enemy” exhibition portrays the war and displays picture books dealing with peace and tolerance organized by the International Youth Library, Munich. Original illustrations by Mohammad Amous from Palestine will be shown during the festival.
Twenty-five Korean authors such as Koh Kyung-sook, Kim Dong-sung and Kwon Yoon-duk will also feature their works.
Participants can attend experience programs for glass, ceramic and mud crafts and workshops by Danish authors Louis Jensen and Lilian Brogger and Australian authors Frane Lessac and Susanne Gervay.
Located 63-kilometers northeast of Seoul, the half-moon-shaped island has attracted a growing number of foreign tourists, particularly from Japan, due to the huge popularity of the drama “Winter Sonata” which starred Bae Yong-joon, better known as Yonsama, and actress Choi Ji-woo.
The island has been home to the festival since it was first held in 2005 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Hans Christian Andersen. It aims to create a fairytale world for children in a natural setting through books. It has earned a global reputation over the years as it features an outstanding exhibition of children’s books from all over the world and presents original illustrations and hosts related cultural events.
For more information, visit www.nambook.org.