IBBY-Yamada 2020: Armenia

IBBY Armenia: Reading promotion in rural regions of Armenia

For the past four years IBBY Armenia has had projects in the goal of “Every child’s right to become a reader” supported by the Yamada Fund. The 2020 project focused on regional libraries in Armenia that were identified, in cooperation with the Armenian Library Association, as areas with very low levels of reading. IBBY Armenia established reading corners, including donating 100 new books, to five libraries in the Tavush, Syunik, Aragatsotn, Lori and Armavir regions. Workshops were held for the local librarians about effective ways of organizing and implementing reading activities for children and young adults. Over 50 librarians from the five regional libraries attended the workshops. Due to the pandemic both offline and online reading promotion activities were organised to bring contemporary children and youth writers and their readers together. These activities were organized for 6-10-year-old and 10-15-year-old age groups. The participants of each group were given two books to read and discuss with the author. For each age group, 10 meetings and book discussions were organized. All in all, there were four offline and 16 Zoom meetings and over 500 children and teens participants in the two age groups.

Read the final project report here.