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30 September 2008 14:54

The Books to Children All-Ukrainian Charitable Project Started, Co-Organized by Ukraine 3000 Foundation

September 30, 2008, the Books to Children All-Ukrainian Charitable Project started, co-organized by 30000, Hrani-T Publishers, Friends of Children Association charitable foundation, and Vytania Youth Christian Organization.

This was announced at a press conference hosted by UKRINFORM National Information Agency. Among the participants of the event were Head of the Board of Directors of the Ukraine 3000 International Charitable Foundation Oleksandr Maksymchuk, Friends of Children Association President Maryna Krysa, Head of the Board of Directors of the Eastern European Bank Larysa Sporova, PR Director of Hrani-T Publishers and Books to Children project coordinator Nina Herasimenko, head of the Vytania Youth Christian Organization and Books to Children project coordinator Taras Yatsenko, First Vice President of the National Television Company of Ukraine Roman Nedzelsky. Also present were culture figures supporting the project: singer Mariya Burmaka, Mandry rock group leader Serhiy Fomenko (Foma), and actor Ostap Stupka.

The project organizers with the support from their partners, media partners, and renowned culture figures, athletes, and show business figures will systemically popularize books and reading among children and young people from disadvantaged groups (wards of orphanages, boarding schools, foster families, and remand home). Additionally, they will create children’s libraries and replenish library funds in all Ukraine’s oblasts. The project’s start was timed to coincide with the All-Ukranian Day of Libraries.

The press conference participants emphasized the need to revive the culture of reading in Ukraine as an important part of the educational process and leisure, especially among socially disadvantaged children. “Ukraine needs to regain its status of a reading nation,” PR Director of Hrani-T Publishers Nina Herasimenko said.

“Reading Ukrainian books should become a popular and fashionable leisure,” Mr. Maksymchuk said in his speech. He described the Ukraine 3000 Foundation’s numerous initiatives aimed at supporting libraries and book publishing, in part, publishing books on Holodomor, founding the Unique Ukraine award at the Lviv Book Publishers Forum, creating Ukraine’s only museum library to be unveiled October 2.

Mr. Maksymchuk welcomed the initiative to create boards of trustees at libraries and children’s institutions as part of the project. “From the experience of Ukraine 3000 Foundation, who has created boards of trustees at the Hospital to Hospital program member hospitals, I can say that the community’s participation in the work of such institution is very important and plays a big role,” he said.

Mr. Maksymchuk urged on philanthropists, volunteers, and state institutions to join the Books to Children project. “Only if we consolidate for addressing this problem, will we be able to renew Ukrainian children’s interest in reading,” he said.

The Books to Children charitable project is scheduled for 12 months (September 2008 – August 2009) and financed by the Eastern European Bank. Based on the results of the project’s first year, the decision will be made as for its prolongation.

Within the project’s framework, its organizers jointly with volunteers and celebrities will visit several social children’s institutions in two Ukraine’s oblasts every month, bringing with them children’s books to create children’s libraries. The libraries will be formed according to children’s number, age, gender, etc. The teachers are to ensure the donated books are read regularly. It was decided that the first group’s visit will be to Ternopil oblast orphanages.

The libraries will be formed out of Hrani-t Publishers’ books. The publishing house also undertakes to permanently replenish the collection with their new books. Every step of the action will be covered by local and national mass media and the action’s website http://www.dity.org.ua.

The project’s partners are the East European Bank, Western Oil and Gas Company, magazines Anheliatko [Little Angel], Anheliatkova nauka [Little Angel’s Science], and Barvinok [Periwinkle], Plast National Scouting Organization of Ukraine. Informational partners: First National Television Channel (general partner), Ukrayinsky tyzhden [Ukrainian Week] magazine (exclusive media partner), 1+1 TV Channel, National Radio Company of Ukraine, ZAXID.NET internet publication, The Day and Ukrayina moloda [Young Ukraine] newspapers.