IPA, WHO and UNICEF launch Read World on International Children’s Book Day to Support Children and Young People in Isolation

Author Geronimo Stilton launches an initiative to read an exclusive children’s book in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic

The authors of many beloved children join the initiative to read passages of their books to the millions of children and young people currently living in isolation in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read the world is a collaboration between International Publisher Association (IPA), World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. It starts today, on International Children’s Book Day, at 15.00 GMT / 17.00 CET with Italian author Elisabetta Dami, creator of the popular character Geronimo Stilton.

“These are thoughtless waters for now, and the psychosocial effects of long-term isolation and social distance have yet to be seen and understood,” said IPA President Hugo Setzer. “At this point, we should all take special care of our mental health, and especially young minds. The IPA wanted to do something positive to bring kids and their favorite writers closer, spark their interest in books, and create a worry-free moment for family sharing during this difficult period of confinement. “

“Children’s lives and routines have been turned upside down in just a few short weeks,” said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore. “Even when the outside world is out of bounds for now, reading can remind children and young people that the transfer power of books is unlimited.”

“Who is committed to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic on all fronts, especially when it comes to youth protection,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “We understand the fears and anxieties that many feel and know how the joy of reading can stimulate young minds, ease tension and give hope.”

Elisabetta Dami will read on her personal Instagram account in English from 15.00-15.30 GMT 17.00-17.30 CET. The lady, whose books have been sold in more than 180 million copies worldwide and has been published in 50 different languages, will also respond to comments and questions via the platform.

Several other prominent children’s authors have agreed to join Read the world initiative. the details of which will soon be available at https://www.unicef.org/coronavirus/read-the-world

About IPA

IPA is the world’s largest publisher association. Founded in 1896, it is an industry body with a human rights mandate, whose mission is to promote and protect publishing and to raise awareness of publishing as a force for economic, cultural and social development. Working in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and other supranational bodies, IPA advocates the interests of publishing books and magazines at national and supranational levels. Internationally, IPA actively opposes censorship and promotes copyright, freedom of disclosure (including through IPA Prix Voltaire) and literacy.

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About UNICEF

UNICEF is working in some of the toughest places in the world to reach children in the world’s most vulnerable. In over 190 countries and territories, we work on every child and everywhere to build a better world for all.

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ABOUT WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) is the United Nations specialized agency for health. It is an intergovernmental organization and operates in cooperation with its Member States, usually through the Ministries of Health. The World Health Organization is responsible for leading global health issues, designing health research programs, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based options, providing country technical support, and monitoring and assessing health trends. Learn more at www.who.int.

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