Event highlights: Global Book Alliance International Literacy Day Event Celebration

On September 17th, 2024 Global Book Alliance (GBA) successfully held Books for Every Child: An International Literacy Day Celebration Event at the World Bank in Washington DC. Check out highlights from this half-day, hybrid event below. 

The event kicked off with opening remarks from GBA Deputy Chair, Sergio Ramirez-Mena.

““Foundational skills especially literacy and numeracy are at the heart and are aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal number 4 – quality primary education for all. However, in 2024, the need for essential books to help children learn is still a challenge in many (if not most) of the countries where the GBA members work.”
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— Sergio Ramirez-Mena, GBA Deputy Chair

Allyson Wainer, Director of USAID’s Center for Education Allyson Wainer delivered a keynote speech centered on the vital role books play in literacy development and learning outcomes. 

““It is important that teaching and learning materials… are accessible and contextually appropriate for learners—meaning that books are available in languages that students know, for learners with disabilities, and that the characters are reflective and familiar to students. It is also important that the materials are aligned with the curriculum in order to support reading instruction.”
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— Allyson Wainer, Director of USAID’s Center for Education

GBA Steering Committee members participated in a round of lightning talks to discuss the critical challenges facing the global book supply chain as well as success stories, demonstrating how collaboration and innovative strategies have led to improved access to books in underserved communities. Find out more about their work below: 

GBA SC Lightning Talks

Attendees participated in innovative workshops that focused on developing practical solutions for building sustainable book supply chains. These collaborative sessions allowed participants to brainstorm ideas and share best practices. Find out more below:

Workshop 1: The Book Supply Chain & Research

Part 1: Conducting a Book Supply Chain Analysis (Education Development Center)

Part 2: What’s Working (or not) and Why In BSC Interventions (University of Notre Dame)

Workshop 2: Track and Trace Systems 

Part 1: Track and Trace and Book Distribution Models (Blue Tree Group) 

Part 2: TnT Experience in Cambodia (University of Notre Dame)

Workshop 3: Access to and Use of Libraries 

Part 1: Community-Driven Community Libraries (Save the Children) 

The Early Learning Resource Network

Dr. Luis Benveniste, Global Director for Education at the World Bank, provided remarks emphasizing the important role of the Global Book Alliance to convene actors in this space and collectively address the challenges of the global book gap. 

The closing remarks by GBA Chair, Sakil Malik, emphasized the importance of collective action in bridging the global book gap:

““To make the books available for all children,we have no choice but to work together, on a global, regional and country level. It is a primetime, to reduce the information gap among collaborating partners (government, donors, implementing partners), co-create and co-implement appropriate strategies to reduce the the books and materials scarcity.”
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— Sakil Malik, GBA Chair

The GBA continues to recognize the important role books play in literacy development for children.