Costa Rica

IBBY Costa Rica is an organization dedicated to the creation of reading communities through trained mediators and playful activities in spaces of dialogue. We envision reading as a social good that children and youth should have access to for their education and enjoyment, with the aim of contributing to the development of free and reflective individuals who participate in the construction of a more just society.

Mission

As a non-profit organization based in Cartago, Costa Rica, IBBY Costa Rica defines its mission in the following way:

• Promote reading for pleasure and quality literature.
• Support children and youth in their reading journey, equipping them with the necessary tools.
• Nationally implement projects that strengthen education, reading and writing promotion, literature, as well as various artistic expressions, contributing to the development of dialogue, respect, and the exercise of human rights.
• Encourage the appropriation of public spaces and foster citizen engagement.

• The “Premio Lyra”

The “Premio Lyra” highlights the most outstanding children's and youth literature in Costa Rica. This award is governed by a selection process in which both juries and a child population made up of approximately six thousand students participate. The evaluation and selection process are characterized by its inclusive nature, since it involves a broad educational community, from adult experts to young readers. The adult jurors, with their experience and knowledge in the literary field, provide a valuable critical perspective, while the students provide a fresh and authentic vision of what resonates in contemporary children's and young adult literature.

• Online training:

"Los libros violetas" is a project dedicated to promoting egalitarian training free of discrimination, with the aim of educating boys and girls about gender equality with literature as a powerful tool.

 "Verde que te leo Verde" focuses on addressing issues related to the preservation of nature and the promotion of food sovereignty in a creative and entertaining way for children, with the purpose of promoting sustainable development at the local level from a early age, using literature as their primary medium.

 "Reading Mediation" seeks to facilitate and enrich the reading experience, promoting the love of books. Our focus is on online training and our programs offer various tools to achieve this.