Frankfurt Book Fair 2024: Paulines Publications Africa Participants “awestruck” by Deep Reading Culture Elsewhere

Also referred as Daughters of St. Paul or simply Pauline Sisters, FSP members strive to live the mission of proclaiming “the Gospel to the world through the most effective means of communication”. This mission has won them the label “The Media Nuns”.

In an interview with ACI Africa on Tuesday, October 29, Sr. Mary Mutahi said, “I was awestruck by the number of people who turned up to buy books. There were people of all ages: children, young people and even the elderly. You could see everyone purchasing large quantities of books.”

Sr. Mary Mutahi. Credit: Paulines Publications Africa (PPA)

“It was inspiring to see such a deep appreciation for reading in a highly developed country like Germany,” the Kenyan FSP member said, adding that what she saw in Germany during the October 16-20 book fair was “a reminder that nurturing a reading culture is invaluable, regardless of where we are.”

According to Sr. Mary, technological innovations are not an excuse to not love books. She told ACI Africa, “Even with advancements in technology, reading remains a cherished and vital part of life globally.”

Credit: Paulines Publications Africa (PPA)

Her sentiments were echoed by Sr. Agatha Chipulu Zimba who said, “There were so many people coming to buy books. That was something I have never seen in Africa. Such a big crowd of people.”

Sr. Agatha Chipulu Zimba (left) and Sr. Mary Mutahi (right). Credit: Paulines Publications Africa (PPA)

Sr. Agatha recalled that the attendance of Africans at the Frankfurt book fair was “very low”, adding, “There were very few Africans. It shows that in most African countries, reading or literature is not so much appreciated.”

The Zambian-born FSP member appealed to Africans to take participation in international book fairs seriously, noting that books are the primary medium of conveying a people’s heritage.

Books, she said, are a bridge between different cultures.

Credit: Paulines Publications Africa (PPA)

“As we go to book fairs, we not only share our books, but our culture as well,” Sr. Agatha said.

She added, “When you read, you open your mind, you grow. If you read good books, then you help in forming your mind with good morals, with dignity, human dignity. And our hope and prayer is that people will be able to read, and read good books, read books that will uplift their dignity.”

Even with the meagre participation of Africans at the Frankfurt book fair 2024, the high participation of Catholic publishers was notable, Sr. Agatha told ACI Africa in the October 29 interview.

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Credit: Paulines Publications Africa (PPA)

Away from the hustle and bustle around books, the two representatives of the Nairobi-based PPA enjoyed spiritual nourishment at a small prayer room, where people would go to have a moment of meditation and reflection.

“There was a space for people who simply wanted to move away from the busy and noisy halls to a little place for meditation, for reflection, for connecting with the Creator,” Sr. Agatha recalled. 

Apart from the Kenya-based Pauline Publications Africa, there were other publishers from other African countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ivory Coast, Ghana, South Africa, and Zimbabwe as well as others from India, Italy, and Brazil.

Credit: Paulines Publications Africa (PPA)

Sr. Agatha said meeting publishers from other parts of the world was helpful, adding, “We had an opportunity to learn from each other to improve on our publication.”

Sharing their experience in Frankfurt, the Kenyan-born and Zambian-born FSP members said they were captivated by the large and vibrant convergence of publishers from around the world.

Credit: Paulines Publications Africa (PPA)

“Each stand and every corner of the different halls was filled with a diverse representation of books and innovative ideas in publishing,” Sr. Mary and Sr. Agatha said in a collective note they shared with ACI Africa, adding that one of the central aim of the fair was the buying and selling of publishing rights.

Sr. Mary (left) and Sr. Agatha (right). Credit: Paulines Publications Africa (PPA)

The two Pauline Sisters said that the events at the book fair were “a fascinating process that connected publishers and authors across continents.”

“With the rise of digital media, publishers are seeking innovative ways to keep printed material appealing and accessible. This was evident in numerous exciting initiatives, such as e-commerce platforms, e-books, and audiobooks, allowing traditional printed works to seamlessly blend with the digital innovations,” they told ACI Africa in their note.

The two FSP member also recalled seeing “various child-friendly innovations on display” in what they described as “a deep commitment” to creating engaging content for young readers.

Credit: Paulines Publications Africa (PPA)

They highlighted the “talking pen” that they said “brings text to life by audibly reading aloud specific passages” to have been one of “the technological marvels” they encountered during the October 16-20 event in Frankfurt.

They also saw books that can be showcased in VR formats and 3D paintings.

Credit: Paulines Publications Africa (PPA)

“Another remarkable discovery was the growing interest in true-life stories, and comics, a genre that resonates deeply with contemporary readers,” the Sisters said, noting that publishers at the Frankfurt book fair were keen to highlight books that teach, inspire, and reflect the realities of the world.

Credit: Paulines Publications Africa (PPA)

Sr. Mary and Sr. Agatha told ACI Africa that moving forward, Paulines Publications Africa that they represented at the book fair will seek to embrace digitalism as well as interactive elements for younger audiences among other innovative ways to strengthen the entity’s relevance in the evolving world.