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  • 2014-04-19
An Oral Reading Feast for World Book Day
An Oral Reading Feast for World Book Day

Based on results from the national reading survey that National Central Library conducts every year, Taiwanese enjoy reading popular literature, which negatively affects balanced development and reading quality. Also, it is not conducive to improving reading habits. National Central Library’s Director-general Tseng Shu-hsien pointed out that cultural and educational institutions should work hand-in-hand to promote quality reading and to encourage the public to read a variety of books besides popular literature. Improving personal and overall reading habits should mirror advice on a healthy diet: variety is what leads to a healthy body and mind.

To help the public develop a more well-rounded approach to reading on a variety of topics, National Central Library brought together cultural and educational foundations and public and university libraries from across the island on April 19 (just four days before World Book Day) to hold a An Ode to Reading: Oral Readings by Famous Persons. Invitations were extended to scholars from Taiwan and abroad, the Italian representative in Taiwan, famous authors and illustrators, celebrities, musicians, librarians, school principals, famous acting troupes, and bands. The 94 performers put on 22 performances of oral reading, acting, and singing. This event had the largest array of performers and text performances since Taiwan began celebrating World Book Day in conjunction with the rest of the world. Content included new poetry, classical poetry, prose, stories, music, songs, and children’s plays; each performance was simple yet exquisite, helping over 600 people understand the benefit of balanced reading.

This year’s unparalleled reading carnival had five main attractions: authors and poets reading their works, teachers and students from different schools doing oral reading, authors of children’s literature combining their voices with frolicking children, the voices from foreign friends and scholars, and the sonorous sounds of heads of education and libraries combining together. Each voice was enchanting and enabled the audience to experience different flavors of reading. To encourage the public to read broadly and to develop healthy reading habits, National Central Library held a drawing at the end of the event to give away roses and books, which represent beauty and wisdom on World Book Day. The air was soon filled with the fragrance of flowers and books, and an endless and changeless energy that comes from reading.

Last Update Time:2015-11-17