Edgar Lungu “heads” to Berlin ITB

becomes first Zambian book to be exhibited at ITB

‘Against all Odds, Zambia’s President Edgar Chagwa Lungu’s Rough Journey to State House’ becomes the first Zambian book featuring a serving Head of State to be featured in the premier tourism and business fair ITB Berlin that starts running from 7th March to 11th March.

The political thriller authored by Mr. Anthony Mukwita who is also Zambia’s Ambassador to Germany has already featured in book fairs London, New York and Frankfurt but it makes the debut in Germany for the first time. It was published on 5th January 2017.

This is according to a statement issued by First Secretary Press at the Zambian embassy Kellys Kaunda.

More than 100,000 people walk through the Messe Berlin, the venue of the ITB that attracts about 180 countries annually that come to exhibit the best of their countries.

“Exhibiting the book in this huge fair means that I am expanding the scope of readers my book can reach,” said Ambassador Mukwita adding, “We need to tell the good story of Zambia’s democracy and solid leadership and tenacity. It’s a feel-good story that must reach more people beyond Zambia.”

Zambia is the Culture and Convention Partner at this year’s ITB Berlin where it occupies the central Pavilion in Hall number 21 that has been doubly oversubscribed by business from Zambia.

At the last tally, Ambassador Mukwita placed the number of exhibitors from Zambia at 36 from a targeted 15 while others fell out after failing to meet Visa requirements.

The theme for this year is “Take Zambia With You” and the book is offering just that according to the author who wants, “People at ITB to take a piece of Zambia’s literature with them.”

The author is calling this literature diplomacy.

The book—a Bookworld bestseller—is available at the Zambia Daily Mail and Bookworld outlets country-wide.

The book that has sold more than 1000 copies in Bookworld and is in UNZA and Mulungushi libraries is also scheduled to make a come-back in the London International Book Fair set for Olympia in April next month according to the publishers Partridge.