ID :
181965
Fri, 05/13/2011 - 14:05
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http://m.oananews.org//node/181965
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ASEAN youths expected to read more
BANGKOK, May 13 (TNA) - Countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have joined forces to develop and improve reading habits among the ASEAN population.
In welcoming the bloc’s integration in 2015, Thailand Knowledge Park will host an event called “TK Forum 2011”, in a bid to prepare the younger generation of ASEAN to build quality workforces for the future. The forum also aims to encourage children and others in the general public to get to know other ASEAN neighbors better through reading.
Selected guest speakers have been invited from three ASEAN countries. These are Kiang-Koh Lai, Director of “Reading Initiatives” of Singapore, Chanthason Inthavong, Founder and President of “Action with Lao Children” and Le tien Phong, Director of “Room to Read, Vietnam”.
Singapore has two successful initiatives, “Read Singapore” and “Kids to Read”, which have been launched to promote the importance of reading among people in urban communities. The project also encourages people of specific groups, such as taxi drivers and hairstylists, to become agents of knowledge that are able to tell stories and recommend good books to their customers.
“Hug An” or “Love to Read”, is the Lao government’s name of a state initiative for rural development, aimed to collect books and build libraries in remote areas. The project is underway and still needs support from ASEAN neighbors.
In Vietnam, “Room to Read” is an international NGO, which also aims to improve the quality of education by increasing the number of libraries in communities where children have limited access to education, as well as trying to persuade the Vietnamese government to give more freedom to the publishing market.
Meanwhile, contributing studies and research projects regarding the reading habits of the Thai population show that Thais are starting to enjoy libraries introduced to them by TK Park. The idea of interactive libraries has also gained a lot of positive feedback and has been spread throughout the country, resulting in an improved rate of library goers.
The event is being seen as a pilot event for Thailand’s upcoming conference “Reading 2011” to be held in August. (TNA)
In welcoming the bloc’s integration in 2015, Thailand Knowledge Park will host an event called “TK Forum 2011”, in a bid to prepare the younger generation of ASEAN to build quality workforces for the future. The forum also aims to encourage children and others in the general public to get to know other ASEAN neighbors better through reading.
Selected guest speakers have been invited from three ASEAN countries. These are Kiang-Koh Lai, Director of “Reading Initiatives” of Singapore, Chanthason Inthavong, Founder and President of “Action with Lao Children” and Le tien Phong, Director of “Room to Read, Vietnam”.
Singapore has two successful initiatives, “Read Singapore” and “Kids to Read”, which have been launched to promote the importance of reading among people in urban communities. The project also encourages people of specific groups, such as taxi drivers and hairstylists, to become agents of knowledge that are able to tell stories and recommend good books to their customers.
“Hug An” or “Love to Read”, is the Lao government’s name of a state initiative for rural development, aimed to collect books and build libraries in remote areas. The project is underway and still needs support from ASEAN neighbors.
In Vietnam, “Room to Read” is an international NGO, which also aims to improve the quality of education by increasing the number of libraries in communities where children have limited access to education, as well as trying to persuade the Vietnamese government to give more freedom to the publishing market.
Meanwhile, contributing studies and research projects regarding the reading habits of the Thai population show that Thais are starting to enjoy libraries introduced to them by TK Park. The idea of interactive libraries has also gained a lot of positive feedback and has been spread throughout the country, resulting in an improved rate of library goers.
The event is being seen as a pilot event for Thailand’s upcoming conference “Reading 2011” to be held in August. (TNA)
