On World Book and Copyright Day, UNESCO declares its commitment to harnessing information technology to support literacy
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Ms.
Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, in a letter addressed to the
international community on the occasion of the World Book and Copyright
Day, which falls on April 23th, 2015, called to celebrate books as the
embodiment of the creative spirit and the desire to exchange ideas and
knowledge, and to facilitate understanding, dialogue, and tolerance. She
said that this day is an opportunity to recognize the power of books to
improve our lives, and support the books and those who produce them, as
they are tools for learning and reading and global symbols of social
progress.
They have also become targets for those who denigrate
culture and education and reject dialogue and tolerance ... and our duty
is to intensify efforts to promote the book, the pen, and the computer,
along with all forms of reading and writing, in order to combat
illiteracy and poverty, build sustainable communities, and strengthen
the foundations of peace. The UAE Board on Books for Young People
(UAEBBY), the national branch in the UAE of the International Board on
Books for Young People, which has received the honor for sponsoring the
message and poster of International Children's Book Day 2015, has
revealed the poster of International Children's Book Day 2015, whose
slogan is “Many Cultures ... One Story”, during its participation in
the general meeting of the International Board on Books for Young
People, which was held earlier this month on the sidelines of the
Bologna Children's Book Fair in Italy, attended by representatives of 77
branches around the world.
Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, Founder and
Patron of UAEBBY, confirmed that the Board’s sponsoring of the
International Children's Book Day 2015 stems from its belief in the
right of the child to have access to the book, and the role of reading
in the convergence of views between the different cultures through the
similar stories read by the children in various countries around the
world. The meanings behind the slogan of the 2015 event were explained
for the children of the world in English and Arabic, which were stemmed
from the UAE's keenness to promote understanding and dialogue between
the different cultures, and to instill the love of reading in the hearts
of young people since their early years. The Board called on all
institutions in the UAE to celebrate the occasion through the use of the
slogan, as this event will be sponsored until April 2016.
The
Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research exerts numerous
efforts in an attempt to strengthen the culture of reading and not to
dispense with the book, so it took the responsibility of distributing
thousand copies of the book "Those Who Inspire: UAE" to the university
students in the various Emirates, as the book deals with entrenching the
values of excellence and giving in the UAE community, and the
experiences of 60 creative Emiratis in various administrative, economic,
artistic, sports, humanitarian, and other fields, written in Arabic and
English. Such experiences show the success stories of a group of
achievers, leaders, intellectuals, doctors, artists, teachers,
scientists, athletes, business leaders, and philanthropists, who love
their work and take the initiative to contribute to returning the favor
to the community and State. It is noteworthy that the Convention on the
Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions
celebrates its10th anniversary this year. UNESCO is seeking to promote
reading among young people and marginalized groups, and is working in
collaboration with International Publishers Association, the
International Booksellers’ Federation, and the International Federation
of Library Associations and Institutions to support careers in
publishing, bookshops, libraries, and schools. UNESCO also leads the
fight against illiteracy, to be included as a crucial ingredient of the
Sustainable Development Goals to follow 2015. Literacy is the door to
knowledge, essential to individual self-esteem and empowerment. Books,
in all forms, play an essential role here.
All forms of books play a
key role in this regard, and UNESCO is committed to harnessing
information and communication technologies, especially the mobile
technology, to support literacy and reach the unreached with quality
learning. It worth mentioning that the city of Incheon, Republic of
Korea, has been designated World Book Capital 2015, in recognition of
its program to promote reading among young people and underprivileged
groups.
4/23/2015
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