Fostering collaboration between the book and education sectors to tackle the decline in reading among young people.
n the context of the second edition of the Day of European Authors the European Commission organises a conference with the objective to foster collaboration between the book and the education sectors to tackle declining reading skills and habits among young people.
This conference explores the many examples in Europe of how authors and book professionals can cooperate with teachers and schools to develop formal and informal ways of bringing books and literature closer to students.
© European Union, 2023
The conference will provide an opportunity to:
- share good practices that promote reading from an early age through formal and non-formal learning
- highlight the role of European authors and book professionals in promoting reading and multilingualism in and outside schools
- propose recommendations on how to tackle the declining reading skills and habits in Europe
Participants
The conference is open to
- representatives of ministries of education and culture from the 27 EU countries and other Creative Europe and Erasmus+ programme countries
- EU institutions
- representatives from the book and the education sectors
Programme
Time of session13:30 – 14:00
Date of session March 25
Opening speeches
Session opened
Speakers
Iliana Ivanova ‐ European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth
Matthias De Moor ‐ General Representative of Flanders to the European Union
Time of session14:20 – 14:45
Date of session March 25
Presentation of 2024 Day of European Authors
Session opened
Speakers
Georg Häusler ‐ Director for Culture, Creativity and Sport, DG EAC, European Commission
Miguel Ángel Serrano ‐ President, European Writers’ Council
Magdalena Platzova ‐ author
Time of session14:45 – 15:30
Date of session March 25
First panel – Setting the scene
Challenges and aspirations of the education sector:
- what studies such as the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) tell us about the level of reading skills per age group and gender?
- What type of reading at schools: reading to learn and/or reading for pleasure?
- What are the motivation factors to become active readers?
Session opened
Moderator
Elaina Ryan ‐ CEO, Children’s Books Ireland / Leabhair Pháistí Éireann
Panel members
Dr Dirk Hasted ‐ Executive Director, International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievements (IEA).
Dr Tiziana Mascia ‐ Adjunct Professor of Children’s Literature at the University of Urbino and Representative of the European Literacy Policy Network (ELINET)
Valentina Stoeva ‐ Founder and Chairperson of Detski knigi Foundation / Children’s Books and representative of EURead network of European reading promotion organisations
Time of session15:30 – 16:15
Date of session March 25
Second panel – How the book sector can help
Inspiring examples of how libraries, booksellers, publishers, authors and reading promotion organisations can work with primary and secondary schools and teachers.
Session opened
Moderator
Daan Beeke ‐ Domain Specialist at Stichting Lezen and Network Manager at EURead
Speakers
Noa Heyndrickx ‐ Literatuur Vlaanderen, Flanders, Belgium
Simon Bequoye ‐ Ledereen Leest, Flanders, Belgium
Benjamin Kesteloot ‐ Director, Médiathèque départementale du Pas-de-Calais, France
Laura Guindal Martínez ‐ Deputy Director General for Coordination of Libraries at the Ministry of Culture, Spain
Olena Odynoka ‐ Deputy Director for International Cooperation, The Ukrainian Book Institute
Time of session17:15 – 18:00
Date of session March 25
Third panel – Young readers’ and authors’ voices
Young readers share their views on reading initiatives.
Session opened
Panel members
Srishti Karoor Sabarinath ‐ Participant in the Suget ind promgramme from the Danish National Library
Noe Hoffman-Zarecki ‐ Winner of the special mention of the European Commission’s translation competition Juvenes Translatores, Poland
Matteo Trizio ‐ Children’s Jury in the German Reading Prize
Moderator
Laerke Olsen
Time of session18:00 – 19:00
Date of session March 25
Ignite talks – inspiring initiatives
Examples of projects that bring together the book and education sectors (series of 10-minute presentations).
