The first National Library Week was observed in the United States of America in 1958 with the theme “Wake Up and Read”. Today many children around the world mark the special day. To be inspired by books and to make characters come to life is what the National Library Week is about.
It’s when children reveal their favourite characters from a book and talk about why they love them. For a week, schools around the country celebrated their own National Library and Literacy Week celebration and the Ministry of Education’s permanent secretary, Selina Kuruleca officially closed the event at the Uluda Holdings Grounds in Rakiraki. The theme for this year’s National Library Week celebration was “Ready, Set, Library” whereas the 2024 International Literacy Day theme was “Advancing multilingual education: Literacy for fostering mutual understanding and peace.
” During her closing address, Ms Kuruleca began with the Bible verse Proverbs 9:9 “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning”. “I must say that this week has been a celebration of literacy in all its forms as we have seen our young minds engaged in school-based activities to create awareness on the importance of the National Library and Literacy week,” she said. “The students were naturally delighted and encouraged to participate in various activities such as poster displays, oratory contests, impromptu speaking competitions, poetry reading.