Minister of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration Abdul Halim Iskandar expected that the Indonesia International Book Fair (IIBF) can increase public interest in reading.

“Hopefully, the Indonesia International Book Fair 2022 would foster interest in reading and increase motivation to write and awaken our literacy culture,” Iskandar remarked at the IIBF here on Wednesday.

According to the minister, books are the key to knowledge and a medium for dialog and transforming ideas.

“Books are the nation’s identity. A book is a description of a nation because a nation writes down all the practices of life through a book,” he affirmed.

On the occasion, the minister launched his second book from the Village SDGs trilogy, titled “Village SDGs: Methodology and Measurement”.

The second book contains a map of microdata collection that is conducted with a participatory approach. The collected data is processed and results in recommendations for the development planning and empowerment of rural communities.

He said, the book is published by a publishing house, not by the ministry, to popularize it to the public, rather than just storing it in the ministry’s office.

Through the discussion forum in IIBF, several inputs are expected to be conveyed to make it easier for villages to implement development and empowerment programs to support village revival and independence.

He also expects the book to contribute to the economic revival and independence of 74,961 villages throughout Indonesia.

“The books and every article I write reflects what I do, sourced from the knowledge I learn, whether it is from the learning process with a teacher, by reading, or discussing with colleagues,” he stated.

The 42nd IIBF is being held in a hybrid format of both online and on-site on November 9-13, 2022 at Hall B, the Jakarta Convention Center.

Source: Antara News