IBBY Celebrates Literature and Advocacy at Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2026

The tone for IBBY’s presence was set by Basarat Kazim, President of IBBY, during the Annual Press Conference on April 13. In a moving address, Basarat invoked the spirit of IBBY founder Jella Lepman, who believed that “children needed books the way they needed bread” to rebuild a world torn apart by war.

Highlighting the stark contrast between children living in conflict zones and those safe with a book in hand, Basarat reminded the audience of the urgent stakes of our work. Quoting UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, she noted, “Children cannot start wars and they cannot end them but they always pay the highest price.”

Basarat described children’s books as “Messengers of Peace” that allow young readers to meet others without fear, softening borders and fostering empathy. “Imagination is not an escape from reality,” she concluded. “It is one of the most powerful ways to transform it.”

Click to read her full speech and watch the Press Conference in full through the IBBY Youtube Channel.
 

Announcing the 2026 Award Winners, Regional and World Congresses

We unveiled our hosts for the 2027 IBBY Asia Pacific Regional Conference, to be hosted in Iitabashi, Tokyo, Japan by JBBY! We cannot wait to meet you all in July next year to discuss the landscape of children’s literature in the Asia-Pacific region.

We also unveiled our hosts that will follow our 41st World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. The 42nd IBBY World Congress, to take place in September 2030, will be in Sharjah, hosted by UAEBBY! We congratulate our colleagues of UAEBBY in this appointment and wish them all the best in planning our most important gathering of children’s literature.

We then reached the highlight of the press conference: the unveiling of the winners for IBBY’s three major international awards. Selected by distinguished international juries, these recipients represent the highest standards of literary quality and dedication to reading promotion.
 

The Hans Christian Andersen Award

Often called the “Nobel Prize for children’s literature,” the 2026 Hans Christian Andersen Award was presented by Jury President Shereen Kreidieh. This biennial award honours a living author and illustrator for their lasting contribution to children’s books.

Writing Winner: Michael Rosen (United Kingdom) Celebrated for his extraordinary ability to speak to children with honesty, humour, and respect. The jury praised Rosen’s work for combining playfulness with emotional depth, inviting young readers to explore complex themes of history, family, and identity. As the citation reads, his work proves that literature for children can be “playful and profound at the same time.”

Illustration Winner: Cai Gao (China) Honoured for her outstanding artistic quality and unique visual language. Cai Gao’s illustrations were lauded for bridging tradition and modernity, using colour and composition to create visually striking worlds that empower children to interpret their surroundings.

The winners were chosen from 78 candidates across 44 countries. They join a legendary lineage of laureates including Astrid Lindgren, Tove Jansson, and Maurice Sendak. The medals and diplomas will be formally presented at the 40th IBBY World Congress in Ottawa, Canada, this August.
 

The IBBY-iRead Outstanding Reading Promoter Award

Generously supported by the Shenzhen iRead Foundation, this award recognizes individuals for their lifelong dedication to reading promotion. The 2026 winners are:

Kirsten Boie (Germany): A renowned author and tireless advocate who merges storytelling with activism. Boie has built resilient structures to influence public reading policy, championing equal access to education in Germany and internationally, notably in Eswatini.

Namita Jacob (India): A leading expert in disability inclusion with over 35 years of experience. Through the Chetana Trust, Jacob has created sustainable ecosystems for accessible reading, empowering children who are blind, deaf, or deafblind through a vast network of volunteers and tactile book creators.

Each winner receives 200,000 RMB and the opportunity to designate 150,000 RMB to a non-profit reading project of their choice.
 

The IBBY-Asahi Reading Promotion Award

Sponsored by the Asahi Shimbun, this award honours a group or institution making a lasting contribution to reading promotion. The 2026 winner is:

LINKS: Hooked on Books Program (Philippines) Nominated by IBBY Philippines, LINKS was recognized for its transformative, community-driven model that integrates literacy with creativity, civic engagement, and financial literacy. Since 2017, the program has established 25 libraries reaching over 21,600 children and trained more than 1,000 educators. The jury praised its sustainable, low-cost framework that is now embedded in public policy.

The program will receive US$ 10,000 and a diploma, to be presented in Ottawa.

Beyond celebrating individual achievements, IBBY used the fair to advocate for systemic change. On April 13, IBBY joined with the International Publishers Association (IPA), the Federation of European Publishers (FEP), the Italian Publishers Association (AIE), the Syndicat National de l’Édition (SNE), and the Bologna Children’s Book Fair for the joint conference: Building the Future Generation of Readers: Best Practices and Policies for Reading Promotion.

Moderator: Luis González, Director of the Fundación Germán Sánchez Ruipérez (FGSR), Spain
Panel: Anne Bergman-Tahon, Director of the Federation of European Publishers (FEP); Gvantsa Jobava, President of the International Publishers Association (IPA); Basarat Kazim, President of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY); Mari Yasunaga, Programme Specialist, Section of Youth, Literacy, and Skills Development, Division for Policies and Lifelong Learning Systems (Education Sector of UNESCO); Innocenzo Cipolletta, President of the Italian Publishers Association (AIE).

The organizations came together to sign a joint appeal. Addressed to UNESCO, the European Commission, and national institutions, the appeal calls for renewed commitment and sustained funding for reading promotion. The statement emphasizes that in an era of “unguided and uncritical use of smartphones,” reading books is vital for developing the focus and critical thinking necessary for open, democratic societies.

“Putting books back at the centre means investing in the future of democracy,” the joint statement reads, urging stakeholders to unite publishers, libraries, schools, and families in a global network of support.

Our IBBY members and partners were active across their time at the fair. Our European sections held their annual regional meeting, led by Regional Liaison Charalambos Demetriou. Likewise our Latin American Sections met for a lovely dinner, hosted by Regional Liaison Hazel Hernández. We treasure Bologna for these kinds of opportunities to meet in person.

IBBY was also present and active throughout the entire Book Fair programme, with the following events being some of our highlights at the Fair:

Forest for the Trees: Reflections on Canadian Illustration, Organized by IBBY Canada
An exploration of Canadian geography, storytelling, and artistic community.
Speakers: Geneviève Després, Matt James, Sydney Smith, Pierre Pratt (Illustrators, Canada).
Moderator: Simon de Jocas (Publishing Consultant).

Inform, Inspire, Create: What is International Children's Book Day? Organized by IBBY Cyprus
An exploration of the 2026 ICBD theme “Plant Stories and the World will Bloom” and global celebration strategies.
Speakers: Carolina Ballester (IBBY Exec Director), Elisabetta Lippolis (IBBY Italy President), Elena Perikleous (Cyprus Commissioner for Children’s Rights), Marloes Robijn (IBBY Netherlands President).
Moderator: Charalambos Demetriou (VP, IBBY Cyprus).

Children’s Literature in a Climate of Censorship and The Right to Read, Organized by Bookbird
A critical panel on rising book bans, the history of censorship, and defending the freedom to read.
Speakers: Marc Aronson (Rutgers University, USA), Sarah Pyke (Banned Book Network, Münster University), Nayan Mehrotra (Parag / IBBY India), Ulrika Ahlberg (Dawit-Isaak Library, Malmö).
Moderator: Chrysogonus Siddha Malilang

Preserving Indigenous and Endangered Languages: Insights, Challenges, and the IBBY-UNESCO, Organized by IBBY and BCBF
In anticipation of the launch of the IBBY-UNESCO Collection of Remarkable Books for Young People in Indigenous and Endangered Languages, a panel of experts at the intersection of children’s literature and indigenous and endangered languages came together to discuss the importance of representation and inclusion of all of our communities, and the challenges that they face today.
Speakers: Mary E. Glenn, Chief, United Nations Publications, UN Department of Global Communications, USA; Carolyn Lagahetau, Editorial Director of Oratia, New Zealand - Moana Oceania series editor (Pacific Island languages); Elisabetta Lippolis, President IBBY Italy; Francesca Novajra, President Executive Committee CEATL; Sophia Pinheiro, illustrator, author, filmmaker, and researcher (collaboration with Guarani communities in Brazil); Are Tjihkkom, translator (Sami language); Eva Valvo, Strade-Calibro Board.
Moderator: Alessandra Leopardi, IBBY International Secretariat

Reading of The Convention on the Rights of the Child: The Children’s Version | UNICEF, Organised by Bologna Children's Book Fair, In cooperation with UN Publications, 42 Friends of the Children's Book Community
To highlight the importance of protecting and promoting these rights, Bologna Children’s Book Fair hosted - in collaboration with the United Nations - a multilingual reading of the Convention, featuring 42 distinguished authors, illustrators, and publishers from across the globe. Each participant read one of the 42 articles of the Convention in their native language, creating a powerful, collective voice for children’s rights. IBBY President Basarat Kazim was invited to read Article 10: Contact with Parents Across Countries in Urdu.

How Do You Define 'Child'? A Multilingual Reading of International Children's Books, Organised by Bologna Children's Book Fair, in cooperation with Topipittori and IBBY
Following the reading of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, this chorus in defence of childhood from the world of children’s literature stands as a response to the conflicts taking place around the world in which children are so often involved. Authors and publishers from around the world read excerpts from their books, affirming the urgent need to protect and safeguard childhood—beyond any definition. Shereen Kreidieh read excerpts from the picture book They Are not Numbers, authored by Palestinian picture book artist Sally Samir and nominated to the 2026 IBBY Honour List.
Speakers: Beatrice Alemagna, author, illustrator, Italy; Hervé Tullet, artist, writer, illustrator, France; Alīse Nīgale, publisher, Liels un Mazs, Latvia; Adolfo Córdova, author, journalist, Linternas y Bosques blog, Mexico; Chris Haughton, illustrator, Ireland; Paolo Primavera, publisher, Edicola Edizioni, Italy; Peggy Espinosa, editor, Petra Ediciones, Mexico; Madalena Matoso, publisher, Planeta Tangerina, Portugal; Michael Rosen, poet, author, UK; Timothée de Fombelle, writer, France; Arianna Squilloni, publisher, A Buen Paso, Spain; Silvia Vecchini, poet, author, Italy; Shereen Kreidieh – 2026 H.C. Andersen Award Jury President, Lebanon.