| Desmond Tutu Book Launch 30th July 2010 |
NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNER ― ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU ― TO HOST WORLDWIDE
LAUNCH OF THE CHILDREN OF GOD STORYBOOK BIBLE AT CAPE TOWN BOOK FAIR ON JULY 30th
CAPE TOWN, South Africa, July 12, 2010 – The opening of the Cape Town Book Fair in Cape Town, South Africa will be the setting for Nobel Peace Prize Winner ― Archbishop Desmond Tutu ― to host the worldwide launch of his latest project, the fully-illustrated Children of God Storybook Bible on Friday, July 30 at 11 a.m.
Joining Archbishop Tutu at the Cape Town Book Fair launch will be Ivan Siegelaar, musician; Lynn Franklin, of Lynn C. Franklin Associates, Ltd., Archbishop Tutu’s literary agent, and foreign rights agent for this project on behalf of Lux Verbi; co-publishers Stephan Spies from Lux Verbi.BM, and Annette Bourland, senior vice president and publisher with Zonderkidz; plus a children’s choir from South Africa.
The book launch is designed for members of the international book trade, media and invited guests visiting the Cape Town Book Fair to hear firsthand what makes the Children of God Storybook Bible unique. Speakers will discuss the publication process, Tutu’s perspective about God’s desire for all people to love one another and find peace and forgiveness in their hearts, and why this is a global Bible for children.
All members of the international news media should contact Eben Pienaar at Lux Verbi.BM to obtain news coverage information at: epi@luxverbi-bm. Co.za
The Children of God Storybook Bible (ISBN: 9780310719120) is the first children’s Bible written by Archbishop Tutu. He retells more than fifty of his best-loved stories from the Old and the New Testament, artfully highlighting the universal truths and multicultural messages stemming from God’s desire for all people to live in community.
It is designed to help children read the Bible not as part of a system of belief to know the theology of the Bible and doctrines of the different churches, but to help them understand Christianity as a “Way of Life.” The title will be published in July by Lux Verbi.BM in South Africa, which is also the product developer, and in August by Zonderkidz, a developing partner and a division of Zondervan and Harper Collins in the United States.
The Children of God Storybook Bible, written for children between the ages of four and seven, is the biggest children’s Bible project the world has ever seen. All told, ten publishers worldwide have already signed up to be part of this exciting publication, and the number is growing. Publishers include: English ― HarperCollins UK, Zonderkidz, Lux Verbi; World Spanish ― Vida/Zondervan; The Netherlands/Dutch ― Jongbloed; Denmark/Danish ― Forlaget Alfa; Brazil/Portuguese ―Editora Vida Melhor S.A.; Italy/Italian ― Arnoldo Mondadori S.p.A.; Germany/German ― Pattloch Kinderbuch.
Twenty of the finest artists from around the world have been selected to illustrate the stories. In an attempt to create the first truly global Bible for children, the artists have been invited to portray the stories with the style and richness of their own culture. Their stunning color illustrations allow readers to experience the Bible stories as if they were there ― with Adam and Eve in the garden, with Noah on the ark, with Abraham in the desert, and with Jesus on the mountaintop.
“One could say the pictures are the spectacles through which children read God’s word,” said Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
The Children of God Storybook Bible will be available in multiple languages: Afrikaans, Sesotho, Setswana, Xhosa, Zulu, English, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, and Danish.
“I’m delighted to see the Children of God Storybook Bible made available to so many children and their families around the world, and for them to experience firsthand these important Bible stories retold just for them in his uniquely loving and endearing voice as he demonstrates in each story that we are all God’s family,” said Lynn Franklin, Archbishop Tutu’s literary agent.
Related products that are under development with the Children of God Storybook Bible include audio, digital, and downloadable products. Visit Lux Verbi’s website at http://www.luxverbi-bm.com/storybook-bible for more information or Zondervan’s site: http://childrenofgodbible.com/ to watch a free video featuring Archbishop Tutu’s reflections on the project and to download two of the stories read by him.
“The important thing that makes this unique is that for the first time ever this children’s Bible helps kids celebrate the global body of Christ,” said Stephan Spies, adding, “Through the various art styles represented, children will learn about different global cultures within the Church, and through Archbishop Tutu’s message, children will understand that we are, whatever our differences, one family in Christ. As such, children throughout the world can take part in building the Kingdom of God in our world through following Jesus’ example.”
“It is our great privilege to join with other global publishers to bring Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s Children of God Storybook Bible to the world this August,” said Annette Bourland, senior vice president and publisher with Zonderkidz. “Reconciliation and forgiveness are central themes not only in this children’s Bible, but lived out in Desmond Tutu’s life.”
The world will always remember Archbishop Tutu casting himself in the middle of the conflict that raged within South Africa and its apartheid system. Archbishop Tutu led a non-violent protest that culminated in the freeing of Nelson Mandela and the subsequent crumbling of apartheid. For his efforts, Archbishop Tutu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984.
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