Media Advisory: Their Excellencies to Host an Art Matters Forum on "A Passion for Reading" and Honour the 2008 Laureates of the Literary Awards

• Press Release
• Source: Governor General of Canada
• On 9:02 am EST, Friday December 5, 2008

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(MARKET WIRE)--Dec 5, 2008 -- Their Excellencies the Right Honourable Michaelle Jean, Governor General of Canada, and Mr. Jean-Daniel Lafond will host an Art Matters forum on the following theme: "A Passion for Reading". The forum, will take place on Tuesday, December 9, 2008, at 7:00 p.m., at the Ottawa Public Library's Main Library. The following day, Her Excellency will present the 2008 Governor General's Literary Awards during a ceremony at Rideau Hall on Wednesday, December 10, 2008, at 6 p.m.

Art Matters forum on "A Passion for Reading" - December 9, 2008, at 7 p.m.

CBC Montreal Radio One arts and culture reporter Jeanette Kelly will be the moderator for the evening. Four panellists will open the discussion: Kerry Clare, writer and blogger; Genevieve Cote, illustrator; Myriam Cusson general and artistic director of the Salon du livre du Grand Sudbury; and Margaret Eaton, president of the ABC CANADA Literacy Foundation. Also taking part in the discussion will be some of this year's Literary Awards laureates. The public will then be invited to share their comments and observations on the theme. The discussion will take place in the auditorium of the Ottawa Public Library's Main Library (120 Metcalfe Street, Ottawa).

To launch the discussion, a blog from His Excellency Jean-Daniel Lafond on "A Passion for Reading" is posted on the Citizen Voices Web site at www.citizenvoices.gg.ca/en/blogs/rideau_hall/193 .

Governor General's Literary Awards Ceremony - December 10, 2008, at 6 p.m.

Her Excellency will honour this year's laureates of the Governor General's Literary Awards in the English and French categories of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, drama, children's literature (text and illustration) and translation. The ceremony will be held at Rideau Hall.

The Canada Council for the Arts presents the 72nd edition of the Governor General's Literary Awards, Canada's oldest and most prestigious awards for English- and French-language Canadian literature. The names of this year's winners are available on the Canada Council for the Arts web site at www.canadacouncil.ca.

     Contacts:
     To cover the Art Matters forum and the Literary Awards
     ceremony, please contact:
     Marie-Eve Letourneau
     Rideau Hall Press Office
     613-998-0287
     http://www.gg.ca / http://www.ecoutedescitoyens.gg.ca
      
     For interviews with the 2008 laureates, please contact:
     Canada Council for the Arts
     Grace Thrasher
     Communications
     1-800-263-5588 or 613-566-4414, ext. 5145
     Grace.thrasher@canadacouncil.ca