The main organizer of the initiative is the monthly magazine “Biblioteka w Szkole,” in cooperation with, among others, the Association of Polish School Librarian Teachers. According to a report by the National Library, 63% of Poles over the age of 15 do not read books. The aim of the campaign is therefore to promote reading and books among students, initiate a fashion for reading, emphasize the need for school communities, local authorities and state structures to create conditions for effective reading education in schools, and facilitate young people’s access to literature that appeals to them.
On June 10 at 10:00 a.m., students from across Poland gathered at their schools for a shared reading session. Everyone read whatever they wanted. At ZSHiU, 214 students took part in the attempt to set a record for reading at the same time, sitting on mattresses and sleeping mats spread out in the hall and corridors. This very interesting experience met with great approval not only from the students but also from the teachers.
“To everyone’s delight, our photography students decided to document the entire campaign, so there will be a photo session with a book, and we will certainly turn it into a fantastic exhibition,” say the teachers from “Handlówka.”
In September, we will learn what scale this initiative reached across Poland.
Aldona Wilas/ii