On Saturday 25th March, the National Book Council (NBC) held a meeting for a substantial number of writers, poets, university lecturers, critics, publishers, librarians, broadcasters and organisers of literary evenings at the Coastline Hotel with the intention of producing a strategy about how poetry can be conveyed to the masses.
Chairman of the Council, Dr. Ġorġ Mallia, said that our problem as a nation is that we have a culture that does not see poetry as entertainment. He said that “the reading of poetry is not intrinsic to the reading habits of the Maltese people.” The problem begins from schools where poetry is not taught in a way that appeals to the senses and the emotions, but merely as part of the curriculum. He said that very often this teaching is lacking in the humane aspect which is dearest to poetry. In the small Maltese book market, poetry was on the lowest rung of sales.
The participants were divided into three workshops and a vehement discussion ensued in each. Present in this seminar were also an Irish poet and two Finnish anthropologists who contributed positively.
The proposals suggested emphasised upon using the media, in both the public and private sector, to encourage and promote the reading of poetry, and the importance of introducing poetry to children in a motivating manner by exposing them to poetry that is suitable for their age, as well as encouraging literary sessions in schools with communication between the author and the reader. It was also suggested that poetry be accessible to all in public places, such as what was done in the experiment with bus stops, as well as the visual presentation of the art, and that a survey be carried out about what poetry means to the people to provide a base on which a proactive reform can be based.
The NBC promised that apart from the Book Fair and the Literary Prize, now renamed the National Book Prize, in both of which there is being carried out an active reform, it would organise other activities that would help promote the book with everybody.
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