The organizers of the Derik Cultural Festival announced on Wednesday that the fourth edition of the weeklong event would honor University of Juba’s Professor Taban Lo Liyong.
Addressing a press conference in Juba, the President of the Derik Cultural Festival, Atem Simon Mabior, described it as a comprehensive and artistic event, aimed to complete the great project initiated by an exceptional intellectual, Derik Alfred Uyai, which covered various aspects and formed the solid foundations of the South Sudanese renaissance.
Atem, who is also a prominent journalist, said this year’s edition confirms the continuation of the noble project, which aims to place South Sudan as the cradle of civilization.
“Following in the footsteps of Derik, who always believed that the perfection of civilization lies in writing, he never missed an opportunity to emphasize the paramount importance of writing, not only for preserving identity, but also for developing culture so that the nation would be at the forefront of human civilization,” Atem said.
“The celebration of writing is a celebration of life in all its details. Writing in its various forms, especially creative writing, is the true mirror of the people, showing their dreams for the future, their struggles with the present, and their reflections on the past,” he added.
Celebrating Prof. Lo Liyong, Atem said, comes to reinforce and confirm the contribution he continues to make for the enlightenment of the South Sudanese young generations.
“Celebrating Prof. Lo Liyong comes to reinforce and confirm all of this. For more than half a century, he has carried the torch of creativity and ensured that the flame of awareness and enlightenment continues to burn, through the originality inherent in his writings that combine dozens of narratives, poems and thoughts,” Atem said.
Atem said the activities of the festival would be held from November 17 – 24, 2024 at the University of Juba and other places to be mentioned later. There will be no charges for entry.