This is the third time that Peridot has teamed up with the nation\u2019s literary festival to sponsor an important aspect of the book fair. A lover of books herself, drs. Arrindell is a published editor and former president of the Parliament of St. Maarten. She founded Peridot in 2000, \u201cto create awareness about domestic violence with emphasis on breaking its cycles of violence\u201d in families and relationships.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe are very happy to present to the people of our island a world-class scientist,\u00a0\u00a0 Dr. Camille Wardrop Alleyne, to deliver the opening ceremony address of the St. Martin Book Fair on June 2. And a life-line sponsorship by the Peridot Foundation will go toward the appearance of the keynote speaker,\u201d said Jacqueline Sample, president of House of Nehesi Publishers (HNP). The theme of book fair 2016 is \u201cThe Science of It.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n As an NGO, Peridot mostly sponsors activities that aid in combatting domestic violence, hosts lectures on the issue, and is responsible for the anti-child abuse statue at the Cul-de-sac roundabout, said drs. Arrindell.<\/span><\/p>\n Drs. Arrindell\u2019s love for literature involved her for many years as a volunteer reader of Dutch and English books to students at the Sr. Borgia Elementary School.<\/span><\/p>\n A society that is not increasingly literate about itself and the world \u201cis a society that loses part of its soul and doesn\u2019t put much into \u2018who we are\u2019 and \u2018where we\u2019re going,\u2019\u201d said drs. Arrindell. She has an active personal reading life and believes in \u201cthe value of writing and creativity.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Furthermore, \u201cwith reading and comprehension one is able to defend oneself,\u201d said drs. Arrindell. \u201cI also encourage young people to read and use the opportunities they have with technology to explore and create.\u201d During her term as the first president of Parliament, drs. Gracita Arrindell established the President of Parliament Award \u201cto encourage young people to help in the development of the community.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Drs. Arrindell also edited the book, Looking Back to Move Forward<\/i>, which was published by HNP in 2005. The book contains one interview and five speeches by former prime ministers of the Netherlands Antilles about their experiences in office before the Territory was dismantled by 2010.<\/span><\/p>\n The love of books, volunteer reading for children, organizing engaging conferences, book publishing, and the ongoing work of Peridot Foundation are all connected to \u201chelping to bring more of an awareness\u201d to the development of society, said drs. Arrindell. One of the reasons that drs. Gracita Arrindell believes \u201cin supporting authors to come to the island\u201d is to help \u201cencourage reading\u201d and spread more awareness in various areas of individual growth and nation building.<\/span><\/p>\n In 2007 and 2011 respectively, the Peridot Foundation contributed to the sponsorship of the St. Martin Book Fair guest speakers Chiqui Vicioso, a leading Dominican Republic author and ambassador, and Derek Walcott, the Nobel laureate from St. Lucia.<\/span><\/p>\n Conscious Lyrics Foundation and HNP are organizing the 14th<\/sup> edition of the St. Martin Book Fair in collaboration with the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau, University of St. Martin (USM), LC Fleming Foundation, GEBE, and St. Martin Tourist Office.<\/span><\/p>\n
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