by Beyene Haile
SOURCE: www.shaebia.org
The Management and Members of Hidri Publishers
The Editor of the 12 World Literature series, Prof. Tej.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today, this cheerful gathering of educators is to celebrate a very special event. It is the occasion where Hidri Publishers launch a significant portion of their 12 World Literature Series Volumes. We are also here to congratulate the editor behind the rich harvest of the five volumes which constitute a handsome portion of the remaining 7 volumes yet to be published. I feel privileged to say few words on this memorable time. Because something need to be said about those who conceived the idea and pursued its realization. I believe that we should express our thanks to those who are actively working to heal our world outlook with literature. For literature does indeed elevate our moral height through the magic of human creativity.
The Management and Members of Hidri Publishers
The Editor of the 12 World Literature series, Prof. Tej.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today, this cheerful gathering of educators is to celebrate a very special event. It is the occasion where Hidri Publishers launch a significant portion of their 12 World Literature Series Volumes. We are also here to congratulate the editor behind the rich harvest of the five volumes which constitute a handsome portion of the remaining 7 volumes yet to be published. I feel privileged to say few words on this memorable time. Because something need to be said about those who conceived the idea and pursued its realization. I believe that we should express our thanks to those who are actively working to heal our world outlook with literature. For literature does indeed elevate our moral height through the magic of human creativity.
When asked to do this task, I could not help thinking of T.S. Eliot’s famous lines from his Hollow Men. It may not be out of the present conceptual framework to ask our selves if we are ‘the hollow men, the stuffed men’ regarding the so-called ‘reading culture.
‘Between the idea
And the reality
Between the motion
And the act
Falls the Shadow
For Thine is the Kingdom
Between the conception
And the creation
Between the emotion
And the response
Falls the Shadow
Life is very long
Between the desire
And the spasm
Between the potency
And the existence
Between the essence
And the descent
Falls the Shadow’
I have been a living witness when sky arching pledges were made to spread reading opportunities throughout the land; when enterprises of great height and purposes were solemnly deliberating to make reading a vital aspect of everyday reality; when librarians were swiftly trained and placed, when libraries were established and copiously supplied with generous stocks of books and when teachers, students and parents were emotionally enlightened by enthusiasts and proponents of the ‘reading culture’, as the seemingly simple task of reading is often termed. I have also observed the media play its part in disseminating concepts hopping to drive apparently well meant messages. Here in Eritrea, the idea of creating a reading situation has been a persistent leitmotif awaiting a climax of fulfilling episodes. I have no doubt that the distance between the conception and the creation would eventually get much closer if this positive trend of zeal and logic is maintained by Hidri Publishers in steady intensity continuously narrowing the gap between the emotion and the response.
The means and the strategies to realize dreams often go hand in hand with successful projects and reasonable pledges. Policies, organizations, facilities, modes of distribution and the spread of the reading practice could be greatly enhanced if the right sorts of books are on hand. We may even dare say that the identification, selection and collection of the right books should assume precedence over the whole process of effective reading. If the essence and potency of books fail to be relevant and meaningful to the expecting reader population, all the intentions and organizational resources would hardly save the day. The reading process is mostly about the books on hand, the state of readiness of the readers and the just-on-time training skill of teachers. These are the three elements that happily merge to realize the reading practice based on the relationship of cognitive studies and profile friendly curriculum development as Piaget will have it. Following his train of thought, we could say that the availability of these books will allow children to be creators, innovators and inventors instead of being wrongly lead to resemble (God save them) the typical adult of their society.
Professor Tej N. Dhar has generously come up with perhaps the most essential element by selecting and preparing the much needed books. Through an almost Herculean effort, he has hunted and captured the books with great love and care to fit the needs of the readers, the teachers and the parents. The triumvirate will therefore set out on a long and exotic journey of fantasy, imagination, dreams and mind tingling information as they enter the uncharted territory of spicy tales from many lands, fascinating fictions of endless narratives and personality building essays reflecting the eternal play of life and art.
His contribution to the enhancement of reading could be viewed against the backdrop of prevailing realities. The Government and concerned organizations have spared no effort at encouraging reading through various means. Books are still at large in schools and town libraries and more books will definitely come to fill up library shelves.
Tej’s series of books are orderly and logically flowing within a conceptual framework of purposeful goals strategically tuned to present the right books to the right reader. Their mission is to familiarize Eritrean readers with world literature. Since the profile of the reader population is specified, the books are selected to fit the needs, abilities and the interests of the targets. In other wards, they can be made to match the needs in terms of type, diversity, curriculum content and learning outcomes. They also allow readers, teachers, and parents to interact in such a manner as to derive the maximum benefit from world literature.
The project’s purpose is simply great, and a lot remains to be done as the intention of Hidri Publishers includes publishing a series of twelve volumes in the form of tales, stories and essays. The end of this project will culminate in the production and distribution of first class books for young Eritrean readers. Such an undertaking will mark Hidri as a unique publishing house bent on enriching the menu of healthy books.
Without undermining the glossaries and the after words, it maybe useful to include more learning triggering tools to be used by the readers, teachers and parents for a more effective comprehension of the learning materials. Training teachers and librarians to develop an effective learning situation should be an essential part of the project if readers are to benefit from guidance and counseling. Following the end of a dreamy tale, an intriguing short story, or an invigorating message of an essay, one would need to understand new concepts and expressions, have the key to delve into hidden secrets of life and emulate the skills of the great writers only through the proper guidance of skilled educators, seasoned librarians and enlightened parents.
Now, I feel justified to have begun my talk with a randomly snatched piece of T. S. Eliot’s famous poem. I cannot help wondering how Hidri Publishers and Professor Tej succeeded to translate ideas into realities. They have hardly left shadows to fall between their conception and creation. I do not see many gaps between the emotion and the action. I do not notice a shadows falling between dichotomies. They have made a historical contribution to the growth of literature in Eritrea and they will be remembered for it.
Within the boundary of this limited space and time, it is next to impossible to say all there is to say about literature. However, literature: embracing poetry, tales, novels, plays, belle letters, criticisms and aesthetic philosophy is the apotheosis of human quest, portraying humans as they interrelate with the cosmos in spite of the apparent chaos of living and dying. Literature elevates humans to make sense out this apparently senseless life. It guides readers into a world of infinite possibilities and hope where great moral and ethical actions elevate humans to rise and to face insurmountable issues. Since it supplies all professions with a generous portion of creativity, all students of all ages and persuasions should indulge in its wealth. However, those who serve literature as educators, librarians, and critics should be real students and professionals of literature. It is difficult to imagine a librarian who has not read and comprehended all the books in the library.
I also take this occasion to express my respect and admiration to Hidri Publishers for undertaking such an enormous task. They have successfully achieved a great deal of their objectives. I think they are on the great highway leading to more and more books to build rich minds at ease with creativity and inventions. I hope all our leaders and professionals see the healing power of art in general and literature in particular.
May I also be allowed to renew my thanks to Hidri Publishers for the great publishing services they have undertaken to have my books see the light of day. Looking ahead, I remain, yours truly.
SOURCE: www.shaebia.org
The Management and Members of Hidri Publishers
The Editor of the 12 World Literature series, Prof. Tej.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today, this cheerful gathering of educators is to celebrate a very special event. It is the occasion where Hidri Publishers launch a significant portion of their 12 World Literature Series Volumes. We are also here to congratulate the editor behind the rich harvest of the five volumes which constitute a handsome portion of the remaining 7 volumes yet to be published. I feel privileged to say few words on this memorable time. Because something need to be said about those who conceived the idea and pursued its realization. I believe that we should express our thanks to those who are actively working to heal our world outlook with literature. For literature does indeed elevate our moral height through the magic of human creativity.
The Management and Members of Hidri Publishers
The Editor of the 12 World Literature series, Prof. Tej.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today, this cheerful gathering of educators is to celebrate a very special event. It is the occasion where Hidri Publishers launch a significant portion of their 12 World Literature Series Volumes. We are also here to congratulate the editor behind the rich harvest of the five volumes which constitute a handsome portion of the remaining 7 volumes yet to be published. I feel privileged to say few words on this memorable time. Because something need to be said about those who conceived the idea and pursued its realization. I believe that we should express our thanks to those who are actively working to heal our world outlook with literature. For literature does indeed elevate our moral height through the magic of human creativity.
When asked to do this task, I could not help thinking of T.S. Eliot’s famous lines from his Hollow Men. It may not be out of the present conceptual framework to ask our selves if we are ‘the hollow men, the stuffed men’ regarding the so-called ‘reading culture.
‘Between the idea
And the reality
Between the motion
And the act
Falls the Shadow
For Thine is the Kingdom
Between the conception
And the creation
Between the emotion
And the response
Falls the Shadow
Life is very long
Between the desire
And the spasm
Between the potency
And the existence
Between the essence
And the descent
Falls the Shadow’
I have been a living witness when sky arching pledges were made to spread reading opportunities throughout the land; when enterprises of great height and purposes were solemnly deliberating to make reading a vital aspect of everyday reality; when librarians were swiftly trained and placed, when libraries were established and copiously supplied with generous stocks of books and when teachers, students and parents were emotionally enlightened by enthusiasts and proponents of the ‘reading culture’, as the seemingly simple task of reading is often termed. I have also observed the media play its part in disseminating concepts hopping to drive apparently well meant messages. Here in Eritrea, the idea of creating a reading situation has been a persistent leitmotif awaiting a climax of fulfilling episodes. I have no doubt that the distance between the conception and the creation would eventually get much closer if this positive trend of zeal and logic is maintained by Hidri Publishers in steady intensity continuously narrowing the gap between the emotion and the response.
The means and the strategies to realize dreams often go hand in hand with successful projects and reasonable pledges. Policies, organizations, facilities, modes of distribution and the spread of the reading practice could be greatly enhanced if the right sorts of books are on hand. We may even dare say that the identification, selection and collection of the right books should assume precedence over the whole process of effective reading. If the essence and potency of books fail to be relevant and meaningful to the expecting reader population, all the intentions and organizational resources would hardly save the day. The reading process is mostly about the books on hand, the state of readiness of the readers and the just-on-time training skill of teachers. These are the three elements that happily merge to realize the reading practice based on the relationship of cognitive studies and profile friendly curriculum development as Piaget will have it. Following his train of thought, we could say that the availability of these books will allow children to be creators, innovators and inventors instead of being wrongly lead to resemble (God save them) the typical adult of their society.
Professor Tej N. Dhar has generously come up with perhaps the most essential element by selecting and preparing the much needed books. Through an almost Herculean effort, he has hunted and captured the books with great love and care to fit the needs of the readers, the teachers and the parents. The triumvirate will therefore set out on a long and exotic journey of fantasy, imagination, dreams and mind tingling information as they enter the uncharted territory of spicy tales from many lands, fascinating fictions of endless narratives and personality building essays reflecting the eternal play of life and art.
His contribution to the enhancement of reading could be viewed against the backdrop of prevailing realities. The Government and concerned organizations have spared no effort at encouraging reading through various means. Books are still at large in schools and town libraries and more books will definitely come to fill up library shelves.
Tej’s series of books are orderly and logically flowing within a conceptual framework of purposeful goals strategically tuned to present the right books to the right reader. Their mission is to familiarize Eritrean readers with world literature. Since the profile of the reader population is specified, the books are selected to fit the needs, abilities and the interests of the targets. In other wards, they can be made to match the needs in terms of type, diversity, curriculum content and learning outcomes. They also allow readers, teachers, and parents to interact in such a manner as to derive the maximum benefit from world literature.
The project’s purpose is simply great, and a lot remains to be done as the intention of Hidri Publishers includes publishing a series of twelve volumes in the form of tales, stories and essays. The end of this project will culminate in the production and distribution of first class books for young Eritrean readers. Such an undertaking will mark Hidri as a unique publishing house bent on enriching the menu of healthy books.
Without undermining the glossaries and the after words, it maybe useful to include more learning triggering tools to be used by the readers, teachers and parents for a more effective comprehension of the learning materials. Training teachers and librarians to develop an effective learning situation should be an essential part of the project if readers are to benefit from guidance and counseling. Following the end of a dreamy tale, an intriguing short story, or an invigorating message of an essay, one would need to understand new concepts and expressions, have the key to delve into hidden secrets of life and emulate the skills of the great writers only through the proper guidance of skilled educators, seasoned librarians and enlightened parents.
Now, I feel justified to have begun my talk with a randomly snatched piece of T. S. Eliot’s famous poem. I cannot help wondering how Hidri Publishers and Professor Tej succeeded to translate ideas into realities. They have hardly left shadows to fall between their conception and creation. I do not see many gaps between the emotion and the action. I do not notice a shadows falling between dichotomies. They have made a historical contribution to the growth of literature in Eritrea and they will be remembered for it.
Within the boundary of this limited space and time, it is next to impossible to say all there is to say about literature. However, literature: embracing poetry, tales, novels, plays, belle letters, criticisms and aesthetic philosophy is the apotheosis of human quest, portraying humans as they interrelate with the cosmos in spite of the apparent chaos of living and dying. Literature elevates humans to make sense out this apparently senseless life. It guides readers into a world of infinite possibilities and hope where great moral and ethical actions elevate humans to rise and to face insurmountable issues. Since it supplies all professions with a generous portion of creativity, all students of all ages and persuasions should indulge in its wealth. However, those who serve literature as educators, librarians, and critics should be real students and professionals of literature. It is difficult to imagine a librarian who has not read and comprehended all the books in the library.
I also take this occasion to express my respect and admiration to Hidri Publishers for undertaking such an enormous task. They have successfully achieved a great deal of their objectives. I think they are on the great highway leading to more and more books to build rich minds at ease with creativity and inventions. I hope all our leaders and professionals see the healing power of art in general and literature in particular.
May I also be allowed to renew my thanks to Hidri Publishers for the great publishing services they have undertaken to have my books see the light of day. Looking ahead, I remain, yours truly.