In 2008 the Asia/Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO (ACCU) began putting more emphasis on programs to ensure cultural diversity, conducting educational activities and building Asia-Pacific networks with the goal of protecting and maintaining diverse cultures around the globe. One of the many events that resulted from their commitment, was the “Artists of Children’s Books in Asia, Africa and Latin America Symposium,” which Corinne blogged about in August.

Among the people invited to present on the realities of book creators and publishers in different parts of the world and the role of picture books in culturally diverse societies was Karina Bolasco, founder of Anvil, a Filipino publishing company. In her paper “The Complicated Pleasures of Children’s Books,” she offers that, in her opinion, young Filipino writers, as a result of the country’s history, “have been unwittingly weighed down by a long tradition of moralism and didacticism,” something she believes has led to many moral tales and “issue” books, and not enough stories “children can just read for pleasure and delight in.”

Her views of where her country stands in terms of writing and publishing for children and where it may/should be headed, add depth to our current focus on children’s books from/about the Philippines. For more on the topic, read her article “Towards Homes Filled With Books.” Both her texts help us learn a little more about the challenges publishers, authors, illustrators and promoters of literacy face in the Philippines, as well as the opportunities and possibilities that lay ahead of them.

The Asia/Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO (ACCU) is a non-profit organization which promotes mutual understanding and cultural cooperation among people in Asia and the Pacific, particularly in the fields of culture, book development, and literacy promotion. Since its beginning, ACCU’s literacy programs have focused on disadvantaged groups, such as those with limited education opportunities in rural areas, in particular girls and women. ACCU provides monetary and technical support to create regional versions of posters, booklets, games and puppets thereby making its literacy programs relevant to local life, culture, and languages.

For its Book Development projects, ACCU produces, translates, and distributes children’s books throughout Asia and trains local experts in an effort to contribute to the strengthening of local children’s book production. ACCU sponsors the Noma Concours for Picture Book Illustrations, which showcases the talents of up-and-coming illustrators, graphic designers and artists in Asia, the Pacific, Africa, Arab States, Latin America and the Caribbean. Click here to read PaperTigers’ recent interview with illustrator Wen Hsu, winner of the 2008 Noma Concours Grand Prize; and here to view our gallery featuring some of her award-winning illustrations.

This past March, ACCU held a symposium entitled “Artists of Children’s Books in Asia, Africa and Latin America”. Children’s book authors, illustrators (including Wen Hsu) and publishers from Costa Rica, Japan, the Philippines and Sudan were invited to Japan to share their thoughts on current issues in children’s book development in their respective countries, and to discuss the role of picture books in culturally diverse societies. A booklet containing the panelists’ papers is now available for download. To download selected papers, use the links below:

* Current Situation of Illustrators and Children in Costa Rica – Wen Hsu (Costa Rica)
* The Complicated Pleasure of Children’s Books – Karina Bolasco (Philippines)
* The Current Situation for Illustrators and Children’s Books in Sudan – Alaeldin Elgizouli Naeim (Sudan)
* Children, Festivals and Traditional Culture – Tajima Yukihiko (Japan)
* Picture Books Are More than Just Educational Tools – Tanaka Naoto (Japan)