That was the message from Arts and Culture Minister, Edwin Poots, MLA as he launched the One-Book project, the first Northern Ireland-wide community reading scheme.
Speaking at the event today in Finaghy Library, the Minister said: “The One-Book project is an excellent scheme which will see thousands of adults and children reading the same book, thinking about the issues it brings up and taking part in related activities and projects.
“Libraries are vital to raising literacy levels in Northern Ireland. This improves peoples’ employability and obviously helps to sustain a healthy economy. The multitude of literacy activities run by the library service, such as the One-Book project, offer people a chance to make the most of their lives and encourage education in a less formal environment.
“Getting 3,000 people, from over 100 schools as well as reading groups, to read and talk about the same book is an ambitious task and I have no doubt that it will be a great success.”
Those taking part in the scheme will read the award winning book ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ and aims to address controversial issues such as race, identity and difference in a neutral environment and promote tolerance for different cultures.
Notes to Editors:
The One Book Project has been devised by Northern Ireland Libraries and will run until April 2008.
The key objectives of the One Book Project are:
to get as many people as possible throughout Northern Ireland to read one book
to get groups of people to discuss themes in one book
to raise awareness of the role of libraries and reading in addressing controversial issues in a 'neutral' environment with the objective of increasing awareness of difference and promoting tolerance
to support and promote literacy strategies, multi-cultural understanding etc
to foster dialogue between people of different ages, community backgrounds and from different locations
to create a range of activities/events which would support all of these objectives (e.g. to facilitate on-line interaction between readers, pupils and groups (through a blog on www.ni-libraries.net, discussion groups on Learning NI, etc)
to work in partnership with the BBC RaW campaign to encourage people to read and to raise literacy levels across Northern Ireland.
The One Book Project is supported by the BBC RaW campaign, Amey plc and Rondo.
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