Logos Hope's inaugural visit to Angola.
On Friday 26 July 2024, Logos Hope dropped anchor for the first time in the port of Luanda, Angola, one of Africa's leading Portuguese-speaking countries. During the opening ceremony, Captain Christian (Chile) expressed his gratitude to the authorities and the nation for welcoming the floating bookshop and allowing public access to the port.
‘I'd like to invite you to come and explore what we can give to do. Most important, give us a chance to get to know you,” he said.
The Minister of Culture, H.E. Filipe Zau, representing the President of the Republic, H.E. João Lourenço, welcomed the ship's arrival as a symbol of solidarity with Angola's great past and its people keen to welcome all those who bring peace, affection and empathy.
‘Everyone is part of this chain, along with the ship, so that together we can welcome the world's largest floating bookstore as a new initiative that has never happened before, but that we welcome with hospitality as it is part of our culture,’ he said.
Lukeni Araújo, Director General of the Institute for the Promotion of Tourism (INFOTUR), views the ship's arrival as a 'gain for the country', offering many nationals their first chance to visit an onboard fair. Until August 2, visitors can explore 5,000 book titles and participate in workshops, conferences, and cultural activities.
“Your plan to come to our country has raised a lot of expectations, and I really hope that it will go as smoothly as possible, so that this visit is not a one-off but can be repeated several times. In this age of knowledge, this visit is obviously welcome and important for us,” said H.E. Filipe Zau.