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| Tanzania Central Library |
Chinese and Tanzanian officials jointly
launched a library project entitled "China Library" that offers
China-donated computers, digital books and printed publications at the National
Central Library in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The launch coincided with the
ongoing "Experience China" cultural exchange program on Monday,
September 24, 2012.
The National Central Library has
set aside a large reading room to house computers provided by Chinese computer
giant Founder for the use of reading digital books. In addition to computers,
China has donated 100,000 digital publications and another 1,000 print and
video publications, all in English or Chinese. The equipment and publications
combined are worth US$300,000.
At a launch ceremony, Zhang Yanbin, a senior
official from China's State Council Information Office described the library as
"another significant moment in a long history of China-Tanzania
rapport."
Zhang said that the publications focus on
China's politics, economy, culture, history, art and science, in addition to
other topics. He said, "China will continue to provide the China Library
with the latest publications and keep offering rich and diverse information on
China to the Tanzanian people."
Dr. Alli Mcharazo, Director
General of Tanzania Library Services Board (TLSB) under the Ministry of
Education and Vocational Training of Tanzania, said the reading room would be
maintained for three years according to a deal signed by China and Tanzania and
accessible to the general public.
"These computers will certainly modernize
our ICT [information and communication technology] room. They are certainly
going to provide more ICT services for our users. The facility will also be
used as a training room for our users," he said.
Lu Youqing, Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania,
said he hopes the China Library will become "a new window for the
Tanzanian people to learn about Chinese history, culture and reality, and a new
bridge of our deepening traditional friendship as well."
Celestine Gesimba, Permanent Secretary of
Tanzania's Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, said that the Chinese
officials' visit to the National Central Library "reminds us of the
ever-growing positive bilateral friendship existing between people of China and
Tanzania."
"We earnestly believe that the computers
and books you [China] have donated will provide useful knowledge to our
communities and continues to bridge the digital divide," he added.
The "Experience China"
program is an eleven-day event set to be held first in Tanzania then in Uganda.
The ongoing Tanzania section has brought TV programs, variety shows and digital
publications to the local people.
China.org