International Children's Book Day: UNICEF organises 'Read The World' to support children

Amid the lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic, kids’ favourite authors are teaming up for an initiative to read excerpts of their books to millions of children and young people presently living in quarantine. Today, on International Children’s Book Day, the initiative name ‘Read the World’ will take place. It is a collaboration between the International Publishers Association (IPA), the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. According to a UNICEF statement, the programme will commence with Italian author Elisabetta Dami, creator of the popular character Geronimo Stilton. Apart from this, Elisabetta Dami will read on her personal Instagram account in English. Dami’s books have been sold over 180 million copies across the globe and are published in 50 different languages.

According to IPA President Hug Setzer, these are uncharted waters for them, and the psycho-social effects of prolonged isolation and social distancing were yet to be witnessed and understood. He further stated the IPA wanted to do something positive to bring children and their favourite writers closer, to stimulate their interest in books and to create a carefree moment for families to share during this difficult period of confinement. According to UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore, children’s lives and routines had been turned down in just a few short weeks.

According to WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO was committed to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic on all fronts, especially when it comes to protecting young people.

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