What impact does reading have on the strength of democracy in Ukraine, how does it develop the human brain, and what strategies can be used to build it?
These and other questions were answered by participants in a conference organised by the Universal Reading Foundation under the title Literacy for Democracy International Conference.
Speakers from Ukraine, the United States, the United Kingdom and Poland presented different perspectives one after the other, in three languages, with simultaneous translation, live links to Kiyv, Boston and Los Angeles. A recording of the entire conference is available in Ukrainian, Polish and English at www.fpc.org.pl/literacy-for-democracy.
From the presidential palaces
The conference opened with a message from the Spouse of the President of the Republic of Poland, Agata Kornhauser-Duda, on the importance of reading for education. The First Lady emphasised that as a teacher she had the opportunity to observe the dynamic development of children through reading. Olga Budnyk, a member of President Volodymyr Zelensky's team of advisors, in a live link with Kiyv, emphasised the strategic importance of thinking about education in the context of Ukraine's future.
History as a teacher
Oleksandr Tkachenko, Minister of Culture of Ukraine, stressed that critical thinking and the ability to subject information to rational evaluation, the ability to think independently are the foundations of democracy. With every book we read, we become different people; so let's read for democracy! - he encouraged. The only Polish speaker was
Dr Tomasz Makowski, Director of the Polish National Library, who gave a powerful speech set in Polish history, showing how the loss of 70% of library resources during the Second World War cast a shadow over reading in Poland to this day. People, communities and organisations need universal and equal access to books to develop socially, educationally, culturally, economically and in the spirit of democracy. - he stressed.
A poignant juxtaposition
Oleksandra Koval, Director of the Ukrainian Book Institute, presented a strategy for raising readership in Ukraine. She impressed the audience with the clarity of her vision, but presented frightening figures: 500 dilapidated libraries, only 130 functioning bookshops in the whole of Ukraine, one hundred million euros is the budget needed to implement the strategy, Ukrainians have two million... 98% of the budget is missing. A powerful juxtaposition to this sad picture was the presentation by Fiona Evans, Director of School Partnerships and member of the management team of the National Literacy Trust, UK. Evans outlined the NLT's impressive activities, including in particular the Business Literacy Pledge project, which involves nearly 100 companies from a wide range of industries. A surprise was Lancome's 'Write her Future' project, in which the company trains women in literacy as a future competence. Reading is a social justice issue. It is about giving every child a chance. We need everyone to get involved: the public sector, the private sector and the NGO sector: together. - concluded Fiona Evans very emphatically.
The right to read
Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President of the European Commission, addressed a letter to the conference participants. Ukrainian culture is also a special target of Russia’s aggression - with hundreds of cultural sites destroyed or damaged since the start of the invasion. This is not collateral damage - this is a deliberate attempt to chip away at the rich architectural and cultural heritage that belongs to Ukraine, to its people, to its nation and to Ukraine’s – and Europe’s – identity. Maintaining access to education, preserving freedom of speech, cultural and artistic expression and protecting Ukraine’s cultural heritage is therefore a particular focus of the EU’s support to Ukraine. Winning this war is far more than a question of military might. The loss will already have been too great if we cannot protect Ukraine’s past – through its culture – or Ukraine’s future – through the education of its youth. The Commission’s support to Ukraine in both fields is unwavering. – wrote Vice-President Schinas. A powerful addition was the message from Dr Joerg Maas, President of Stiftung Lesen, Germany's largest non-governmental organisation in the field of reading. Reading is an indispensable human right in a modern democracy.- Dr Maas said strongly.
A child's brain is like a computer
A child's brain is like a computer - the more data it has, the more connections it will make and the smarter it will be. - Professor Barry Zuckerman, the famous American paediatrician and co-founder of Reach Out And Read said opening his speech. He added that brain stimulation through reading with a parent contributes to maintaining more synaptic connections. Research has proven that it is the number of words a child is 'exposed' to through reading that counts, but also, and very importantly, the conversation with the parent around the book. When children read books with someone they love, they will learn to love books, and that is the first step to reading. - emphasised Professor Zuckerman as he told the audience about his work in Bangladesh, with parents he did not understand, who could not read - and yet were able to enjoy a moment together with their child over a book and thus stimulate their brain. Zuckerman concluded by underlining that children who had survived disasters need three things above all else: parents' attention, their closeness, and the repetitive rituals of daily life - all of which can be given to a child through reading together.
Collaboration that changes the world
The conversation we are having today is absolutely crucial to the future of us all, and we are honoured to be a part of it - Cassie Chadderton, head of World Book Day, moved the audience from her first words. She went on to outline the unprecedented reach her organisation achieves through the collaboration of the whole industry. 80% of all children in the UK participated in World Book Day 2022 celebrations organised by the Charity. Chadderton stressed that their mission is to build reading based on fun and enjoyment - only this approach can build readers for the long term. She showed a very strong picture of a massive event possible thanks to the collaboration of many actors of the market setting quite a target for the audience.
Demolished schools in Ukraine
In strong contrast to the UK situation, a presentation prepared by Anna Novosad, former Minister of Education of Ukraine, now head of the SavED Foundation, showed attendees poignant images of demolished schools, children learning in shelters, in the underground stations, by candlelight. Nearly three and a half thousand schools in Ukraine are completely or partially ruined. The needs are enormous.
And finally: A Reading Warrior
The neuroscience representative, Professor Maryanne Wolf from UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) began her presentation after 5:00 PM Polish time, but the passion with which she talked about the impact of reading on brain development and democracy roused everyone potentially tired from hours of listening. Professor Wolf emphasised fervently that reading is a human right; she showed how reading sequentially changes the human brain, the individual lives of each of us, and consequently the human community and its future. Reading builds a reading circuit in our brains based on older linguistic and cognitive structures - and thus changes the future of the species homo sapiens. - Professor Wolf emphasised. - Animal stories or other fairy tales are the foundation for the development of empathy - a kind of moral laboratory in which children learn how to live with others. Children who are read to from a young age become deep readers. Deep reading is the essence that builds democracy. Professor Wolf also demonstrated the skills that we develop when we read with a child from a young age, which are important elements of deep reading: knowledge of the context; perspective taking; critical analysis, novel thinking, deduction, induction, seeing analogies, imagery, insight and reflection. It is incumbent on all of us, she added strongly, that through reading, children learn to evaluate the truth. The ability to evaluate the truth has never been more important than it is today: truth is under siege today, disinformation is used every day to manipulate people, in all countries. I never thought that my work as a cognitive scientist could have an impact on democracy. But today I call myself a 'Reading Warrior'! Because we really MUST have thinking fellow citizens. -Wolf ended powerfully.
The conference was moderated by it’s initiator, Maria Deskur, president of the Universal Reading Foundation. We are delighted: everything worked, the links worked, we were listened live by almost 700 people in Ukraine, we got congratulations from listeners from the European Commission, Bulgaria and journalists from the USA. All this gives us hope that our core message of drawing attention to the need to invest in reading and education in Ukraine today, to form future citizens and democratic leaders today - will go out into the world and not go unanswered. Because that was, after all, the aim. - stressed Deskur.
A recording of the entire conference is available in Ukrainian, Polish and English at www.fpc.org.pl/literacy-for-democracy.
Partners of the conference were the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture, the Ukrainian Book Institute, the Ukrainian Library Association, the Polish National Centre for Culture, the Federation of European Publisjers, EURead, World Book Day, the Warsaw International Book Fair, the Polish Chamber of Books, Vsesvit, Cammit Kniha, SavED, the National Literacy Trust, Stiftung Lesen, the Club of Catholic Intelligentsia and Legimi.
The conference was held under the honorary patronage of the Mayor of Warsaw and the National Library of Poland.
The conference was organised by the Universal Reading Foundation whose mission is to raise literacy as a means to a better, more inclusive and open society and a stronger and more innovative economy and democracy.
The #BooksGiveRefugee: The Universal Reading Foundation and Legimi provide kindle readers and e-books for refugees from Ukraine.
The continuation of the #BooksGiveRefuge campaign is aimed at adult readers, refugees from Ukraine.
The Universal Reading Foundation, through a partnership with the International Book Project and Legimi, will donate more than 100 Kindle readers and monthly access to e-books and audiobooks in Ukrainian, but also in Polish, English and German - a total of more than 170,000 publications. The Kindles will be distributed to public libraries, which have been organizing support for refugees for months.
We know how difficult it is to access books in Ukrainian. When there is an emergency, the most necessary items and those that are easy to carry with them are taken. Books are left behind. Numerous studies show that reading relieves stress and literature in the native language can have an extremely soothing effect on those who have been forced to leave their country. That is why we are very grateful to the International Book Project and Amazon for the gift of Kindles that we can pass on says Katarzyna Konopka, manager of the #BooksGiveRefuge project.
International Book Project is privileged to have forged this partnership with the Universal Reading Foundation. The tragedy of what has transpired in Ukraine has touched us all and we are all doing what we can to stand with the Ukrainian people to preserve their language, culture, and place in the world. Books change lives and continuing this joint effort will make it possible for both Ukranian and Polish readers to access books and opportunity, emphasizes Lisa Fiedler Fryman, Executive Director of the International Book Project.
Legimi has been involved in helping refugees since the beginning of the war through, among other things, the 'Reading for Ukraine' campaign and the provision of nearly 2,000 e-books and audiobooks in Ukrainian, made available free of charge in public libraries. We believe that thanks to the ebook readers organized by the FPC and distributed to libraries with the support of Legimi, our Ukrainian guests will have easier access to literature in their native language. We are happy to be able to help in this way, adds Mikołaj Małaczyński, president of Legimi.
Libraries, through their information, educational and cultural activities, are already organizing activities for children and adults of Ukrainian refugees. The e-book readers that will be made available to readers from Ukraine as part of the #KsiażkaChroni campaign are another reason to visit the library, make use of its rich offer, get to know the local environment, get help or information.
The #BooksGiveRefuge project coordinated by the Universal Reading Foundation has grown thanks to the wonderful cooperation and assistance of a wide variety of companies, all of which help pro bono: books are warehoused at Motyle książkowe and Platon; distribution is provided by the publishing house Nowa Era, legal services are provided by the law firm Barembruch and Partners, accounting services by Soltax office, project communications are provided by LoveBrands Group, crowdfunding is supported by Selectivv, many publishers and printers donated books (donations of over 2 thousand copies were made by Druk-Intro, HarperKids, Insignis, Interak, Mamania, Media Rodzina, Media Service Zawada, Muchomor, Powergraph, Wydawnictwo Poznańskie, Totem, Znak)
About International Book Project:
The International Book Project (IBP) is an American not-for-profit organization, founded by Harriet Van Meter in 1966, which has sent more than 8 million books to 168 countries. Its mission is to promote education and literacy while broadening Americans' understanding of their neighbors, which it achieves by annually sending more than 300,000 books to schools, libraries, churches, and Peace Corps volunteers throughout the developing world and in the United States. Is based in Lexington, Kentucky.
About Legimi
Legimi S.A. is a leader in the Polish market for subscription access to digital books. The www.legimi.pl service, often referred to as 'Spotify for ebooks', has been enabling subscription reading and listening since 2012, also in cooperation with Poland's largest mobile operators. Legimi has created a unique 'reader for 1zł' offer and also provides synchrobook® technology, enabling alternate reading and listening to books on most mobile devices. The company is also developing a library lending service and has also been present in the German market since 2016, operating the www.legimi.de service. Since 2021, Legimi S.A. has been listed on the WSE (NewConnect).
On the first anniversary of the war, the Universal Reading Foundation is publishing a Ukrainian edition of the book "The World is Beautiful. A Book Against War," with Ukrainian children, their mothers, families and caregivers in mind.
The book consists of thirty-eight stories and rhymes, very differently illustrated, some inspired by the war and some not at all. The main idea is to convey to the child that the world remains beautiful, the birds sing and one can, and in fact, even should continue to play - because this is how evil does not prevail. If we see beauty and goodness despite the rampant cruelty.
The release of the Ukrainian edition is accompanied by the publication of a lesson scenario entitled "We dispel the darkness," which can be downloaded from the foundation's website, along with several short stories, if one does not want to buy the entire book, here
The book was conceived during last year's unprecedented aid spurt: artists began asking how they could get involved, and we proposed to publish a book. From the beginning, we wanted to publish a Ukrainian version as well, and I'm happy to say that thanks to the support of ZAIKS, this was possible. We would have preferred to publish it after the war and not still during it, but we are happy that it is coming out, says Maria Deskur, head of the Universal Reading Foundation.
I wanted to give support to people who are fleeing the war. I thought I would do what works best for me, which is to give them a story. I think that stories can be really helpful and can give support in difficult moments. - Dorota Suwalska, co-author, said.
For me this project was extremely important because it touches the core of what an artist's work is. The world of the imagination, passed through the sensitivity of artists has the power to change reality. This book will not end the war, but I think it can make the world a little more bearable. - Marianna Oklejak stressed.
It was important to me that I was asked to take part in this project and create an alternative, good world; to show children and adults that war is a terrible evil but good, beautiful fraternal behavior is created around it. - Malgorzata Cichocka said.
The story from the earliest times has helped to tame the difficult reality. Here, in addition, it is about children, it is very important. I hope that this book will help children not only directly but also indirectly experienced by the war. - Joanna Jagiello said.
Working on this book was a very important experience for me. I did not have the opportunity to give housing to refugees, adding a "brick" in the form of work to this publication gave me a sense of participation in an important aid movement.- Dorota Nowacka said.
Reading is important. It's important in times of peace and it's especially important in times of war. I had Vova at home, we read books with Vova and I saw how he relaxed while doing so. It's just very important for children to have a break from what's going on, to really create a world for them where they rest," said Monika Kowaleczko-Szumowska.
Shelter can be found in a book, in the imagination, which will always be a refuge of freedom, no matter what is happening around us. I think this book is simply very needed.- said Dorota Loskot-Cichocka
We wanted teachers to get not only the book but also the tools to work with it. That's why we asked Krystyna Rózga, an experienced Polish language teacher and pedagogue, to write a lesson plan. We hope that teachers and caregivers will use this help and that it will bring relief to children - both Ukrainian and Polish. - added Katarzyna Konopka, head of the "BooksGiveRefuge" project of the Universal Reading Foundation.
The Universal Reading Foundation is a non-profit organization that was established in 2018, thanks to the willingness of competing publishers to cooperate, and aims to raise the level of reading in Poland. In 2019, the Foundation launched the program „Books on Prescription. Prescription for Success” by inviting the world's first pediatrician, who began prescribing reading like vitamins in 1990. In 2020, on the day schools closed due to COVID, the Foundation created the #NowTimeToRead campaign urging parents to tear children away from screens. In 2021, it published the first Polish guide to spreading reading „Superpower of Books” and „Superpower of Books in Kindergarten”. Since the day the war broke out in Ukraine, it has been running the #BooksGiveRefuge campaign to provide books to refugee children and help Ukrainian publishers. FPC has already donated nearly 200,000 copies of books to refugees and $155,000 in aid to Ukrainian publishers. In June 2022, in cooperation with the Union of Polish Metropolises, the Foundation created the #ReadingRules campaign.
The Foundation invites all people interested in the topic of raising the level of reading in Poland to cooperate.
PRESS CONTACT: Universal Reading Foundation [email protected] tel 506 777 201.
The book is available here
The Universal Reading Foundation was awarded at the Child Friendly World Contest
The Universal Reading Foundation was awarded the Grand Prize in the „Child Friendly World” competition in the Books for Children Aged 0-7 category, for the publication:
"The World is Beautiful. A Book Against War."
The award-winning book, was created thanks to the involvement of almost 60 writers and illustrators who, moved by the war in Ukraine, offered their works as an expression of sympathy for its youngest victims. The stories and illustrations in it convey a clear message: the world is beautiful despite the evil we see. Reading together can be a tool for courageous conversation about the war, but a tool that at the same time helps show that the world remains beautiful, that evil has not and will not prevail. The book is intended for preschool and early elementary school children.
The purpose of the Child Friendly World Contest, which has been held regularly since 2002, is to recognize and reward products for children aged 0-14 years, present on the Polish market, child-friendly places, as well as Internet portals.
The Committee for the Protection of Children's Rights, promotes the idea of articles and places that significantly affect the cognitive, social and emotional development and aesthetic sensitivity of the child.
More than 54,000 books donated by the International Book Project to the Universal Reading Foundation
More than 54,000 books donated by the U.S.-based organization International Book Project to the Universal Reading Foundation are going to Ukrainian and Polish children as part of the #BookGivesRefuge project.
Preparations took many months: back in April 2022, International Book Project wrote to us about their campaign to collect books for Ukrainian refugee children they had launched in Kentucky. They asked if we were able to accept a big transport of books and distribute them so that they would reach those in need. The collection itself took several months, followed by transportation by sea freight and then by tire from Gdynia. We are delighted to be able to donate so many books to children. - says Katarzyna Konopka, manager of the #BooksGiveRefuge project.
In nearly 70 years of existence, our organization has reached 168 countries with books. From the very beginning of the war in Ukraine, we were all very moved by the events. We decided very quickly that if there was an opportunity, we would like to help. We managed to get in touch with the Universal Reading Foundation, and we are glad that with their help the books we collected for children in need are reaching the right hands. It's amazing and constantly motivating that we can help children who are, after all, so far away from us. - emphasizes Lisa Fiedler Fryman, Executive Director of the International Book Project.
The Universal Reading Foundation is working intensively with educators, librarians, local government officials and businesses to raise the percentage of citizens reading. With the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, URF launched a fundraiser under the slogan #BooksGiveRefuge to donate books to traumatized children, as well as to help Ukrainian publishers survive – having in mind the future of Ukrainian education and the formation of its future leaders. To date, URF donated more than 160,000 books to children and more than $150,000 in aid to Ukrainian publishers.
An unprecedented commitment of Polish artists (and one American illustrator – Sophie Blackall) has also resulted in the publication of a book: "The World is Beautiful. A Book Against War." The book consists of works by as many as 58 artists, authors, and illustrators.
"Books give refuge" because it is a springboard: reading together with a caregiver is a moment of peace, closeness and warmth, a break from the difficult reality. Our book entitled "The World is Beautiful" – in the intention of its creators – is a tool to talk about the war with a child, but a tool that at the same time shows that the world is beautiful: evil has not won and will not win. This is a very important message," stresses Maria Deskur, president of the Universal Reading Foundation.
As Poland's main educational publisher, we know how important it is to integrate children at school. Through schools and libraries we can reach children in need directly. That is why the representatives of our publishing house have joined the distribution of books for the second time with great commitment as part of the #BooksGiveRefuge campaign. - says Magdalena Duszyńska-Walczak, President of Nowa Era publishing house.
Packets are going to schools, libraries and centers where Ukrainian children are staying. They get books in English from the International Book Project and books in Ukrainian, including the Ukrainian version of the book "The World is Beautiful." Teachers and educators will be additionally provided with a scenario of a lesson to carry out based on the book.
The #BooksGiveRefuge project coordinated by the Universal Reading Foundation has grown thanks to the wonderful cooperation and assistance of a wide variety of companies, all of which help pro bono: books are warehoused at Motyle książkowe and Platon; distribution is provided by the publishing house Nowa Era, legal services are provided by the law firm Barembruch and Partners, accounting services by Soltax office, project communications are provided by LoveBrands Group, crowdfunding is supported by Selectivv, many publishers and printers donated books (donations of over 2 thousand copies were made by Druk-Intro, HarperKids, Insignis, Interak, Mamania, Media Rodzina, Media Service Zawada, Muchomor, Powergraph, Wydawnictwo Poznańskie, Totem, Znak)
About International Book Project:
The International Book Project (IBP) is a not-for-profit organization, founded by Harriet Van Meter in 1966, which has sent more than 8 million books abroad. Its mission is to promote education and literacy to advance opportunity, while broadening Americans' understanding of their neighbors, which it achieves by annually sending more than 300,000 books to schools, libraries, churches, and Peace Corps volunteers throughout the developing world and in the United States. Is based in Lexington, Kentucky.
www.intlbookproject.org
About the Universal Reading Foundation:
The mission of the Universal Reading Foundation is to improve literacy, primarily in Poland, as a means to a better, more inclusive and open society, as well as a stronger and more innovative economy. With the outbreak of the war, the organization began helping Ukrainian refugee children in Poland and supporting publishers in Ukraine.
Best reading wishes
Dear Friends,
This year has been exceptional. Russian aggression against our neighbors generated an amazing wave of involvement on behalf of Ukrainians. We joined this aid stream from the first day of the war with the "Books give refuge" campaign.
We thank you immensely for your support of our efforts.
Thanks to your help, extraordinary things were made possible:
- we distributed nearly 160,000 books to more than 1,000 centers in Poland where children from Ukraine are staying.
- we sent nearly $160,000 in aid to Ukrainian publishers.
- we gifted nearly 2,500 refugee children in Ukraine with books.
- our action was supported by people and organizations from many continents: thank you to all our donors from Europe, America, Asia and Australia!
- Publishers Weekly, Washington Post, The Christian Science Monitor, and the Greek daily Kathimerini wrote about our action, and we appeared in numerous Polish media. A huge thank you to all the journalists who took an interest in our non-obvious idea to help.
It’s #GivingTuesday! On this occasion the Universal Reading Foundation is proposing to #ReleaseTheSuperpowerOfBooks!
-#ReleaseTheSuperpowerOfBooks is a campaign in which the Universal Reading Foundation is raising funds to donate books to orphanages, social welfare centers and, above all, refugees.
A book really releases a mass of superpowers: it gives refuge, opens us to the world, helps us understand each other, reduces stress and strengthens ties; minimizes social exclusion – says Maria Deskur, president of the Foundation.
Since the outbreak of the war, the Universal Reading Foundation has been raising funds and books to help Ukrainian refugees and publishers. To date, it has donated nearly 160,000 copies of books to centers, libraries, schools and homes where refugees are staying. We are pleased with this result but the needs are much greater. Every day we are approached by more libraries, schools and centers with requests for books for refugees emphasizes – Katarzyna Konopka, the Foundation's project manager.
We've proven ourselves in the uprising, now it's time for strategy.
It's hard to believe, but the war in Ukraine has been going on for nearly six months. The Universal Reading Foundation has been involved in helping Ukrainians from the very beginning. We have succeeded a lot but the enormity of the need remains immeasurable. We describe our journey as an example of what we all experienced: an unheard of, magnificent mass relief spurt in which nothing was impossible and a thousand things happened simultaneously. It is good to remember that we are all capable of such wonderful actions.
So, from the point of view of the Universal Reading Foundation:
We launched a call for help asking for books for Ukrainian children in Poland and funds to help publishers in Ukraine on the second day of the war. Being immersed in research around reading, we see these topics sharply: regular reading with mom, grandmother or aunt (the men are elsewhere...) will be the foundation for rebuilding the sense of security and self-esteem of these children and families. The survival of the Ukrainian publishing industry will be the foundation for the future of democracy in Ukraine. It was clear to us that help in these areas must be organized.
Publishers and distributors responded immediately: Platon and Motyle książkowe distribution companies agreed to handle the logistics and warehousing our operations at no cost, many publishers began donating books to us; Nowa Era publishing house offered to distribute books throughout Poland.
At the same time, illustrators responded immediately - Katarzyna Bogucka shared a drawing of a speeding bicyclist on her page, she allowed us to use this image, and thanks to this we came up with the idea to ask illustrators for graphics to help raise funds. We started getting a lot of moving pictures.
At the same time, already in the first week of the war, we were approached by a Swedish writer and illustrator thanks to publishing house Zakamarki: they had several thousand euros for us from raises thay had already organized within friends. Inspired by this example, we wrote a letter in English to international publishers, which, thanks to the contacts of publishing houses Dwie Siostry, WoltersKluwer, Rebis and CHBeck, was distributed widely among international publishers.
This set off an avalanche: Publishers' Weekly came forward and wrote about us, then the Washington Post and The Christian Science Monitor, renowned American illustrator Sophie Blackall created an illustration urging people to donate to our cause and uploaded it to her social media. We started getting contributions from all sorts of places around the world.
From the beginning, we asked Polish publishers for picture books for young children, with little text, but at the same time, thanks to Krakow Festival Office, we contacted Ukrainian publishers, offering them to send us books, although at that stage we did not yet have funds to support the publishers. We met with a wonderful response - we received a total of nearly 30,000 books from Ukraine, which arrived in Poland in two trucks. The organization of the aid going the other way than all the big aid traffic going into Ukraine (because our trucks were supposed to come to Poland from there!) proved to be surprisingly difficult, especially since we had to organize everything for free. We managed to find two warehouses in Lviv that agreed to collect books from publishers, then, thanks to the help of KBF, Caritas, the Polish Book Chamber, the Customs Department at the Ministry of Finance, the Marshal's office and the Ukrainian House - the two trucks arrived.
At the same time, Polish printers Totem, Druk-Intro, Interak, Sowa, who managed to come to an agreement with Ukrainian publishers and started printing children's books from files obtained from them, also started coming to us very early - our logistical capabilities were an ideal path in their incomplete distribution chain. We received more than 30,000 books in Ukrainian from the printers.
We contacted our friends at the Children's Metropolis Foundation, which at one point launched a raise for a similar purpose - we agreed that we would split the recipients: they took care of the shipments to libraries, we did the rest. Thanks to the incredible commitment of Nowa Era publishing house, Platon distribution, Motyle książkowe, DPD and Inpost (we got the shipments for free), we have distributed nearly 100,000 books to date. We hope to distribute another 50,000 by the end of the year.
Very quickly, writers began to ask how they could participate - and the idea came up to add texts to the illustrators' pictures. That's how "Books Against War" began to emerge.
In the meantime, the raised funds enabled us to offer assistance grants to Ukrainian publishers. We had to act quickly, and thanks to the pro-bono help of the law firm Barembruch and Partners, we managed to efficiently draw up and announce the grant system, to which more than 50 publishers applied. The jury, composed of representation from the Polish Chamber of Books, Krakow Festival Office, Universal Reading Foundation and the Association of Ukrainian Publishers and Booksellers, awarded grants to 51 publishers meeting the competition's requirements (e.g., no financial ties to Russia) for a total of $150,000 (!). Courtesy of BNP Paribas, we were able to do the transfers and currency conversions at no cost - all the funds went to the publishers. The wife of the President of the Republic of Poland assumed honorary patronage of the contest.
In the meantime, writers sent us their texts, renowned graphic designer Dorota Nowacka did the first typesetting of the book, and we decided to consult psychologists about the content. Thanks to an incredible coincidence, we managed to show the book to Konstanty Gebert (aka Dawid Warszawski), who, in his deep wisdom, pointed out to us that war is, of course, a total evil, but we must not offer children a book from which it would appear that war is our whole world. A parent or guardian should be given a tool to talk courageously about war, but a tool that at the same time shows that the world remains beautiful, that evil has not and will not prevail. We listened to the sage and asked the artists for additional texts and illustrations. This is how we came up with "The world is beautiful. A book against war," which will have its premiere on September 15th in Warsaw.
In the meantime, Polish publishers printed their books in Ukrainian and began offering them to us for distribution. We received books (Polish and Ukrainian) from the following publishing houses: Adamada, Agora, A ja czytam, Bosz, Dwukropek, Flosart, HarperKids, Insignis, Mamania, Media Rodzina, Media Service Zawada, Muchomor, Olesiejuk, Powergraph, Poznanskie, Widnokrąg, Wilga, Zakamarki, Znak.
It was all absolutely amazing and beautiful. A state of elation that collectively we probably won't experience again anytime soon. Each of us has strong, uplifting memories of those first months of the war. This will be a generational memory.
Today, we've gotten a little used to it; we've cooled off. Now is the time to build further long-term and strategically thought-through help, which is still and will continue to be vitally needed. Ukrainian publishers are continually coming to us with requests for help. It is also in our own interest to save them. The strength of Ukrainian democracy is in our and the world’s vital interest.
So: If you are still reading this and agree that the issue is important, we invite you to help us www.fpc.org.pl You can support the Foundation's activities HERE.
#ReadingRules! Poland's first powerful local government campaign for reading is being launched.
The Union of Polish Metropolises, the 12 largest Polish cities, and the Universal Reading Foundation show why reading has the power to improve the world.
#ReadingRules: it's an effort we love, it helps people grow, it's engaging. Like sports. And - as with sports - the upcoming vacations are a great time to read. #ReadingRules: it exercises our mind, makes us "in shape": intellectually, socially and emotionally, stable, healthy, competent! Presidents of twelve Polish metropolises are acting as ambassadors of reading - they are inviting to a semi-private conversation, sharing their literary tastes, showing that #ReadingRules! Joint personal commitment of the Mayors of the largest Polish cities to promote reading is an expression of concern for the development of their residents.
In light of the events of recent months, we have come to the conclusion that today, like never before, we need to introduce not only necessary short-term actions but also strong long-term actions that build foundations for open, democratic and competent society - and research shows that people who read create such societies. That is why, with even greater commitment, as a group of twelve presidents, we urge with one common voice to read. Not for the sake of beauty, but for democracy, learning and social development of our citizens, cities and country. Because #ReadingRules! - explains Tadeusz Truskolaski, Mayor of Białystok, President of the Board of the Union of Polish Metropolises.
Our citizens have the 'right to read'; this means that we, as city administrators, have a duty to make sure that every citizen is taught and encouraged to read - to be able to judge us and actively participate in civil society, to have the competence to enter into dialogue, so that we can all listen to each other and understand each other, this is extremely important - today as never before in our memory - adds Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, Mayor of Gdansk.
Reading is not elitist - it equalizes the chances of children for success, eliminates competence differences between people; it is not a game of humanists or artists, it is a democratic, freely available and simple way to increase the potential of each of us, not only on the job market. We all have free access to books thanks to a dense network of public libraries - I would like to encourage all (not only) inhabitants of Warsaw to read," stresses Rafał Trzaskowski, Mayor of Warsaw.
We want the citizens of our cities to develop, to build their competences, to be independent, thinking and critical. Let us emphasize: research has shown that reading is the foundation for the development of science and innovation. We encourage citizens to read for their own development, but also for economic development. Reading develops innovation, and without innovation, there is no development, notes Hanna Zdanowska, Mayor of Łódź.
Reading rates in Poland are alarmingly low; we read much less than our neighbors. In light of available research, increasing the number of readers will translate into increasing the potential of our economy, innovativeness and the strength of our democracy. That is why it should be one of one of the top priorities of any influential person - whether it be a company executive caring about the reading of his or her employees and their families, or government officials influencing various areas of our lives, or parents raising their children. For several years the Universal Reading Foundation has been working to raise the issue of growing readership to the level of one of the most important challenges for contemporary Poland. That is why we are very happy to be a part of the #ReadingRules campaign. We invite everyone who cares about the future of our communities to join the project," concludes Maria Deskur, president of the Universal Reading Foundation and head of Słowne Publishing House.
The #ReadingRules campaign is the first in Poland such a strong and broad commitment of the highest local authorities to promote reading.
Communities of people who read create stronger economies and civil societies, actively create their future. OECD studies show that reading improves children's chances for success at school and in their careers. It has been proven that reading bridges status differences, that if a child enjoys reading, this fact will have a greater impact on his/her success than the background from which he/she comes. It has also been proven that reading together with a parent helps in the social-emotional development of children, and reading fiction increases our empathy. Reading is now being called the most significant single factor supporting sustainable development, which is why #ReadingRules.
The campaign is accompanied by videos in which presidents talk about their reading, but also reveal private elements of their habits - we will find out who of them bends corners, who reads in the bathtub, and whose friends didn't return the books borrowed.
The Universal Reading Foundation and the Union of Polish Metropolises, twelve biggest Polish cities: Białystok, Bydgoszcz, Gdańsk, Katowice, Kraków, Lublin, Łódź, Poznań, Rzeszów, Szczecin, Warsaw, and Wrocław - all together - invite you to a great joint effort to increase readership in Poland.
A lot is already happening in the cities, but the pro-reading activities will be strengthened and new ideas will be launched. The organizers intend the campaign to be a leaven to a gigantic, joint, long-term effort, talks, debates and work towards increasing the number of readers in Poland. Everyone is invited: parents, children, teachers, librarians, local government officials, institutions, companies and NGOs. www.czytanierzadzi.pl
PRESS RELEASEThe Universal Reading Foundation gives grants to over fifty Ukrainian publishers in a program under the honorary patronage of the Spouse of the President of Poland
The grant system was announced on May 3 this year on the website of the Universal Reading Foundation. The partners of the grant program are: KBF - the operator of the programme Krakow City of Literature UNESCO, the Polish Book Chamber and the Association of Ukrainian Publishers and Booksellers. Honorary patronage is held by the First Lady of the Republic of Poland.
The results of the call for proposals were announced today: 51 publishers will receive a total of 150 thousand dollars.
At the moment, the most important thing for Ukrainians is to survive and, after the war is over, to rebuild their homeland. If the aid that is now coming to them is wide enough, they will find it easier to overcome the difficulties to raise their country from ruins. I am therefore very grateful to the Universal Reading Foundation for undertaking the extremely important initiative of supporting Ukrainian publishers who, right now, in the face of the ongoing war, need to receive funds to continue their activities. – The Polish First Lady, Agata Kornhauser-Duda emphasized her patronage over the competition.
We are pleased with the FPC grant competition for Ukrainian publishers, the scale of applications shows how great the need is. - noted Oleksandr Afonin, director of the Association of Ukrainian Publishers and Booksellers.
Many feelings accompany this announcement: great joy that we managed to collect and distribute funds, and at the same time a strong feeling that this is really a tiny bit in the ocean of needs. This is why we are continuing our efforts to support our publishing brothers from Ukraine," said Maria Deskur, president of the Universal Reading Foundation, head of Słowne Publishing House.
The first stage of great emotional support is obviously behind us. Now further systemic help will be extremely important. We are all aware that the survival of the Ukrainian publishing industry will be fundamental for the strength of that democracy. That is why our engagement is not weakening - added Robert Piaskowski, the Plenipotentiary of the President of Cracow for Culture.
Businesses are often not a concern for grant donors. It is understandable but it is worth emphasizing that publishing is a special business: it creates the cultural tissue of a given country and supports the development of subsequent generations of readers. The activity of Ukrainian publishers builds education and development of the Ukrainian society - that is why, it should be supported," underlined Sonia Draga, President of the Polish Book Chamber and Sonia Draga Publishing House.
The Universal Reading Foundation donates funds collected since the beginning of the war. Legal services for the grant competition were provided pro bono by the Barembruch and Partners law firm. Accounting services are provided pro bono by Soltax accounting. Crowdfunding is supported pro bono by Selectivv, communication is carried out pro bono by LoveBrandsGroup agency.
The Foundation continues to support Ukrainian children in Poland and publishers in Ukraine. The Foundation invites you to visit the website www.fpc.org.pl; you can support the Foundation's activities HERE.
10,070 UK publisher donated books offer refuge for Ukrainian children
10,070 publisher donated children’s books are now on their way from Book Aid International’s South London warehouse bound for Polish literacy organization The Universal Reading Foundation in Warsaw. These books will help the foundation continue to offer much-needed support to 50,000 Ukrainian children who have fled the conflict.
Over six million Ukrainians have sought shelter in neighboring countries since the war began – and among them are 1.8 million children. They need support both to continue to learn and to process the trauma of escaping war.
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The Universal Reading Foundation has announced grants for Ukrainian publishers under the honorary patronage of the First Lady, Agata Kornhauser-Duda
150 thousand dollars will be donated to Ukrainian publishers as aid grants.
The grant system was announced on May 3rd on the website of the Universal Reading Foundation: www.fpc.org.pl.
Ukrainian publishers without Russian capital, active on the publishing market for at least five years and having
published at least fifty books, may apply. The partners of the grant competition are: KBF - the operator of the
program Krakow City of Literature UNESCO, the Polish Book Chamber and the Association of Ukrainian Publishers
and Booksellers. Honorary patronage was assumed by the First Lady of the Republic of Poland.
