Book ship looking to connect beyond the page - Cultural exchange a key mandate for Logos
Published:Wednesday | January 27, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Sheena Gayle, Gleaner Writer
'Reading maketh a full man,' the adage goes, and Paul Stanton, deputy superintendent in charge of administration for Area One Police Division, was caught doing just that on the Logos Hope book ship last Thursday. - Photo by Sheena Gayle
WESTERN BUREAU:
A boost of cultural exchange between Jamaica and the rest of the world is expected to occur through the docking of the Logos Hope book ship in Montego Bay and Kingston as it seeks to sell more than books.
"Persons look at us as just a book ship, and rightly so. But what we seek to do is to partner with the local Church and community-based organisations in our community outreach efforts while sharing our different cultural backgrounds," said Project Manager Amy Walker.
She added that with a 400-person crew from 48 different countries, the MV Logos Hope will be hosting three interactive programmes daily, three times a week, on education, cross-cultural understanding and peace geared towards primary-level students.
Thousands of books are usually sold, at below-market rates, during Logos ships' visit.
Official launch
During the official launch of the Logos Hope at the Montego Freeport Terminal last Thursday, the various ethnic groups on-board the vessel briefly entertained the audience in their native languages.
The ship is owned and operated by GBA Ships, a non-profit philanthropic educational charity organisation.
The ship is currently docked in Montego Bay, having arrived on January 20, and will remain there until February 14. It will then sail to Kingston where it will be docked from February 17 to March 23.
Jacqueline Rose, a regular book-ship customer, believes Jamaicans would greatly benefit from the huge catalogue of books on the Logos Hope.
"We need to be reading more, and Logos Hope offers a great opportunity to get the books you want at an affordable rate. We complain that books are expensive, but with the book ship we can get them for less than we would normally pay," she said.