3.05.2012

When words connect, dreams can become real


After updating my database of a fresh batch of acquired books, it's always a habit that I ponder the future scenario of my archive. What will happen to these books if I cannot read them all, or read them to someone from the younger generation? Will I be able to pass on that reading habit? Books live longer than people. What will happen if books continue to multiply as much as the rise in number of children who cannot read and write? Shall I hoard some more and care only about my family and turn my face away from the real, current situation of global illiteracy?

This thought is actually more than just an imagined scene. Especially if you consider the current 793 million illiterate people. New and old books are published in traditional and digital format annually but the current number of people who can't read and write is still huge. There has to be a way to cut their numbers by making our government policymakers and the common people to notice and take action. My solution for this is based on being a reader---we only need to share our love for reading.

This is essentially the same sentiment with the global aims of LitWorld:

"On March 7, 2012, LitWorld, a global literacy organization based in New York City, will be celebrating World Read Aloud Day. World Read Aloud Day is about taking action to show the world that the right to read and write belongs to all people. World Read Aloud Day motivates children, teens, and adults worldwide to celebrate the power of words, especially those words that are shared from one person to another, and creates a community of readers advocating for every child’s right to a safe education and access to books and technology. By raising our voices together on this day we show the world’s children that we support their future: that they have the right to read, to write, and to share their words to change the world."

To learn more about LitWorld and to register to participate in World Read Aloud Day, please visit: http://litworld.org/wrad

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