Vizag Junior Literary Fest Returns with International Storytellers and Multilingual Sessions

 Visakhapatnam: The Vizag Junior Literary Fest (VJLF) is gearing up for its fifth edition, set to take place on November 23 and 24, 2024, at Hawa Mahal, Visakhapatnam. A pre-festival press conference was held on Friday, featuring Bongiswa, an esteemed international storyteller from South Africa, as the chief guest.

Bongiswa expressed her gratitude for being invited to India for the first time in 2018, crediting the festival for her subsequent popularity across the country. She emphasized the festival’s role in her journey and shared insights about her current musical project that reflects personal struggles and cultural heritage through the unique clicking sounds of her Xhosa tribe.

The festival promises an exciting lineup of 44 sessions each day, tailored primarily for children aged 4 to 16 years. These sessions will include storytelling, creative writing, and interactive workshops led by a diverse group of speakers, including renowned authors and illustrators such as Roopa Pai, Kapil Pandey, and Jeeva Raghunath. For the first time, sessions will also be offered in Telugu and Hindi, expanding accessibility for local participants.

In addition to engaging activities for children, there will be dedicated sessions for parents and educators, fostering a community atmosphere where families can explore literature together. The event will feature a curated collection of children’s books from various publishers available for purchase at the festival's book fair.

The inauguration will be graced by M. Bharat, Member of Parliament for Visakhapatnam constituency. With over 2000 slots already registered, open sessions will also be available for those who wish to join spontaneously. As part of its outreach efforts, members of the Bhoomika troupe conducted storytelling sessions for approximately 1000 students in local schools prior to the festival.