Join the revolution! Giving every child good books

Nella Pickup recently attended the 39^th IBBY International Congress in Trieste Italy  with its theme to Join the revolution! Giving every child good books. Participating with over 630 delegates from 60 different countries Nella shares some key highlights to capture what she describes as “an awe filled experience.”   This global perspective provides inspiration and affirmation for our own commitment to children, books and reading.

Highlights

An exhibition celebrating the life and work of Jella Lepman, created by artists from different countries and cultural backgrounds.

Michael Rosen's opening address: Literature as the driver for change.

Robert Piumini’s definition of poetry (supplied by children) 

• Poems are words which love each other.
• Poems are words which help the world not to fight with weapons.

Hearing Irene Vasco, joint winner of the IBBY-iRead Outstanding Reading Promoter Award talk about her fear when dealing with people like Pablo Escovar, and young disenfranchised guerrillas in the Columbian jungles, teaching them Spanish, the language of their oppressors, so they were able to participate in civil life, in the peace process and regain some of their human rights; and the profound sacred and cultural importance of keeping their own languages alive.

Marie Aubinais (ATD Fourth World’s Libraries) IBBY – Asahi Reading Promotion Award 9% of the French population is illiterate. The people in poverty who attend the street libraries give feedback which informs the project – dignity not handouts.

Villaggio per Crescere - a 20-year long project which has seen a decrease from 1 in 20 mothers to 1 in 2 mothers who read to their children. - what a fantastic outcome!

Australian contingent with Monica (2nd left)

Monica Munizaga, from Chile, talked about the Embroidery that thrills project used for people with visual disabilities to read through music, poetry and rhythm. The pieces are made by local villagers (many of whom are illiterate) who take the main bits of a story and embroider it - using various techniques for use by the visually impaired in their community.

Once Upon a border. Stories to imagine a world without frontiers – Mohamed Ba and Deborah Soria. What if the true purpose of borders is not to stop people but to keep their stories from coming out. With 117.3 million refugees worldwide, we should be asking not “what do you need” but “who are you and what is your story”.

IBBY colleague Margot Lindgren has written a comprehensive blog post about the conference that is well worth the read.

Nella Pickup

Reader, grandparent, member of IBBY Australia Inc. and CBCA Tas.

Australian delegates stand with a statue of James Joyce 
prior to the conference.

Editor's note: A timely post to remind us that improving literacy and reading are global issues. The work of IBBY helps us see the broader perspective. Consider joining IBBY Australia to be a part of this world wide community.