IBBY’s Books To My Neighbour Project
IBBY’s January Newsletter highlights an exciting project
to enhance friendship between Turkish & Greek children through picture books.
The project ran from March 2007 to June 2008 and worked with 7-8 year olds in both countries. The children explored each other’s cultures through picture books and exchanged letters, photographs and gifts. One of the books they used was the the trilingual (Greek, Turkish and English) A Bridge of Sea by Greek poet Lia Karavia and Turkish writer and illustrator Serpil Ural:
With its message of understanding between people of different backgrounds, the book aims at promoting peace and friendship between Turks and Greeks.
Together, the Greek and Turkish IBBY Sections
proved that children’s books can be used as a tool for better understanding of the other, thus easing the way for peace in the area.
Once again, we see the potential of children’s books to change the world:
a bridge of books can be built among neighbouring countries. Such bridges can go all around the world creating passages to friendship and peace.
February 24th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
What a wonderful and simple way to promote cross-cultural understanding! Kudos to them!
I recently heard about a library in Michigan (haven’t had a chance to write a post yet) that has a program called “International Storytelling,” where high school students from diverse backgrounds read books from their cultures to younger patrons (often in other languages, followed by translations). The aim is “to build a cultural bridge between the many cultures of the teens presenting stories and the younger patrons of the library.” This particular library was the winner of IBBY’s 2008 BRIDGE TO UNDERSTANDING AWARD, given “to acknowledge the work of adults who use books to promote international understanding among children—PaperTigers’ aim in a nutshell : ) Sadly, I learned from Sylvia Vardell (via CCBC-net listserv) that many years they receive no nominations… But we know these programs exist and are making a difference, so let’s all help spread the word on the award and on the programs themselves!
February 24th, 2009 at 9:00 pm
I didn’t know about the award Aline has mentioned and looked at the website. I read about the IBBY project in their newsletter. And I posted all to my FB site! Let’s hope we can get the word out individually and through our blog posts.
February 25th, 2009 at 4:44 am
Yes, indeed – there is so much amazing work going on out there… If you know of or are involved in a project in your community, do tell us about it – the Bridge to Understanding Award Aline has jusrt highlighted is for projects in the US and is awarded by the USBBY – and they are calling for 2009 nominations now – here are the links to the Call for Entries and the Application Form…