The 53rd International Children’s Book Day is being marked a little differently around the world this year.
With much of the world's children confined indoors, and communal reading events out of the question, a trio of global organisations have come together to support young people in isolation, by giving them access to their favourite books and authors, from the comfort of their living rooms.
The International Publishers Association, the World Health Organisation and Unicef have established the new Read the World initiative, which will launch today, on the 53rd International Children’s Book Day.
The initiative will beam world-renowned children's authors into homes around the world to read extracts of their books.
The first session will take place today with Italian author Elisabetta Dami, creator of the popular character Geronimo Stilton.
If you want to join in on the session, you'll need to tune in to Dami's Instagram account at 7pm UAE time (3pm GMT).
Dami, whose beloved books have sold more than 180 million copies and are published in 50 different languages, will also respond to comments and questions via the platform.
Dami is particularly well placed to take place in the initiative, considering the toll the virus has taken on her native Milan.
Her career as a children's author gains new meaning too, when you consider that in the 1990s Dami found out she couldn't bear children, and so took to volunteering in paediatric hospitals instead. And then, Geronimo Stilton the mouse was born.
Written for children aged six to 12, the Geronimo Stilton books, which have titles such as The Peculiar Pumpkin Thief and The Stinky Cheese Vacation, fizz with energy and curiosity. Every page brims with one-liners and bold illustrations of characters such as Wolfgang Wild Paws, Samuel S Stingysnout and Creepella Von Cacklefur.
"I always tell children that when you do something with your heart and it's a passion, it's not a sacrifice. It is such a pleasure for me to write," Dami told The National in October.
Several other noted children's authors have agreed to host their own sessions, and announcements of authors and timings will be updated on the Read the World website.
“WHO is committed to fighting the Covid-19 pandemic on all fronts, especially when it comes to protecting young people,” WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says.
“We understand the fear and anxieties many feel and know how the joy of reading can stimulate young minds, ease tensions and provide hope.”
Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
Company profile
Name: Steppi
Founders: Joe Franklin and Milos Savic
Launched: February 2020
Size: 10,000 users by the end of July and a goal of 200,000 users by the end of the year
Employees: Five
Based: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
Financing stage: Two seed rounds – the first sourced from angel investors and the founders' personal savings
Second round raised Dh720,000 from silent investors in June this year
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The specs
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Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
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Perera (capt), Mendis, Gunathilaka, de Silva, Nissanka, Shanaka, Bandara, Hasaranga, Udana, Dananjaya, Dickwella, Chameera, Mendis, Fernando, Sandakan, Karunaratne, Fernando, Fernando.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
