Andrew Johnstone, Macquarie Group Foundation speech
Andrew Johnstone, Macquarie Group Foundation
Commonwealth Writers' Prize
Overall winners ceremony, Franschhoek Litererary Festival
18 May 2008
Thank you,
Good afternoon everybody. It is an honour to be here today as a Macquarie Group Foundation representative at the Commonwealth Writers' Prize final presentation ceremony.
The Macquarie Group Foundation has been a close friend and supporter of the Commonwealth Foundation for three years and this year it was delighted to be the main supporter across all four regions.
It will continue to be the main supporter for the 2009 and 2010 Prizes.
This is a partnership the Macquarie Group Foundation highly values and respects. The Commonwealth Writers' Prize promotes and rewards literary talent, encourages wider readership and, in turn, seeks to build an understanding between different Commonwealth cultures.
It is a serious and meticulously judged prize that profoundly enriches the global arts and literary community.
In the past, we have enjoyed narratives from Commonwealth countries including South Africa, Australia, Canada as well as Ghana, Guyana and Malaysia.
Over the last 22 years, the Commonwealth Writers' Prize has taken winning works of fiction to new global markets and helped launch and develop many successful careers including those of Caryl Phillips, Richard Flanagan and Zadie Smith – names which I am sure you are familiar with.
The Macquarie Group Foundation supports more than 500 community organisations around the world and the Commonwealth Writers' Prize is a unique and important partnership.
Both Foundations share a very keen interest in, and passion for, the international arts community. Indeed arts is a key area that the Macquarie Group Foundation has supported since its inception in 1984.
The continued partnership and the Macquarie Group Foundation's support of the Commonwealth Writers' Prize will enable the Prize to keep growing, and identifying and rewarding literary talent.
I would like to congratulate Rustum Kozain, on his being named the Olive Schreiner Prize winner. I wish all the other finalists the best of luck and, like you, eagerly anticipate the final announcements.
Thank you.
