Achievements

Current Campaigns

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The first-ever convention on Literature for Children and Youth organised by the Sri Lanka Section of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) was successfully held on 5-6 April 2019 at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute in Colombo. The Convention was inaugurated by the State Minister of Education, Hon.Vijayakala Maheshwaran who attended as the Guest of Honour. A total of 120 persons participated over the course of 2 days. They included authors, illustrators, publishers, academics, teachers, librarians and child and youth welfare officers, as well as officials of the Ministry of Education, National Institute of Library and Information Services of Colombo University (NILIS), National Library Services Council and the National Institute of Education.

The main highlight of the Convention was the launch of a project report published by the Ministry of Education’s School Libraries Development Branch. The result of 2 years of research, this publication enumerates the criteria for creating, as well as selecting children’s storybooks.

The objectives of this maiden Convention were:

• Understanding the true status and feasibility of literature for Sri Lankan children and youth.
• Identifying avenues of raising the appreciation of literature for children and youth.
• Identifying a programme to increase interest in literature for children and youth among children, youth, teachers and parents.
• Updating knowledge and evaluating regional and international literature for children and youth.
• The impact of translations on Sri Lankan literature for children and youth.

Read more – Convention 2019…

At Asian Children’s Literature Convention held in Hunan, China, Mr. Dinesh Kulatunga on invitation, made a presentation on Children’s Literature in Asian Countries.

Donation of books and a newly built small house for a needy child at Thanthirimale Maha   Vidyalaya in Anuaradhapura District as a joint project with Lions Club of Pokunuwita. This student was identified at a reading program held at the ceremony of donating a library to the school in March 2018 by the Sri Lanka Book Publishers’ Association and the Book Readers’ Foundation.

Conducting a speech contest at Victoria Maha Vidyalaya at Hanguranketha in Central Province and awarding 50 rewards and 3 cash rewards jointly by IBBY SRI LANKA and the Alice and Upali Kulatunga Memorial Foundation.

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Organised an open discussion forum on Children’s Literature with the participation of 30 persons, including officers from the Education Ministry and National Library, writers, illustrators, publishers and journalists.

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Organised a workshop on Typography for Children’s Literature. A group of 25 persons including graphic designers, writers and illustrators participated. The resource persons were from the University of Moratuwa and AKURU Collective (a group of researchers and designers).