Chile
Chilean Section of IBBY
c/o Ms Luz Yennifer Reyes Quintero
Calle Juan Francisco González 954
Depto. C1
Comuna de Nuñoa, Región Metropolitana
Santiago de Chile
C.P. 7790391
E-mail: ibbychile@gmail.com
Facebook: @ColibriIbbyChile
Instagram: ibbychile
Twitter: @IbbyChile
President
Ms Luz Yennifer Reyes Quintero
E-mail: presidencia@ibbychile.cl
(address of the section)
Vice-President
Ms Amparo Arias
(address of the section)
Executive Secretary
Ms María Isabel Aguirre
(address of the section)
Director
Mr Javier Sepúlveda
(address of the section)
Liaison Officer and Bookbird Correspondent
Ms Valerie Moir
E-mail: valeriemoir@gmail.com
(address of the section)
IBBY Chile was founded in 1964 by the noted children´s book writer and winner of the National Literature Prize, Marcela Paz. She was the creator of the famous Chilean character, Papelucho, whose adventures are still widely read by Chilean children and worldwide. Among other founding members were the writers Maité Allamand, Lucía Gevert, Alicia Morel, Elena Aldunate, Eliana Cerda, Virginia Cruzat, Gabriela Lezaeta, Amalia Réndic, Chela Reyes, María Silva Ossa, Pepa Turina and Marlore Anwandter.
At first, IBBY meetings were held in the writers’ homes.The Section began by organizing activites where the writers could meet children and talk to them about books. During this time much work was done in schools to stimulate children´s creativity. A national writing contest was organized in which children were encouraged to write stories and poems. In 1967 a selection of the entries was made and the result was a book, published by the Ministry of Education under the name of Los Niños Cuentan, (Children Tell Stories).
Today, IBBY Chile has established headquarters and holds the monthly meetings. At present, there is a surge of quality children´s books being published in Chile. The standards of production have improved and beautifully illustrated and well-bound books are being produced. Also educators, librarians and parents in general are working together with experts to get a good grasp on the concept of quality children´s books.
IBBY Chile has worked to promote the development of quality literature and pictorial works of art for young people. It has contributed to the improvement of the standard of art and education by the exchange of writers’and artists’ experiences, as well as by organizing writing contests, workshops, seminars and conferences. Our main aim is to help make Chilean children keen readers.
Latin American Children's and Youth Library, BILIJ
The Interactive Latin American Children's and Youth Library, BILIJ of Fundación Palabra, held its opening ceremony in November 2020. The opening ceremony, attended by the collaborators and their familes and including the Mayor of the city of Santiago, was a beautiful cultural event. A selection of photographs taken by Marco Montenegro, member of IBBY Chile and collaborator of Fundación Palabra, can be seen here.