Gallery: President Karis meets with well-read Tallinn schoolchildren
President Alar Karis met with the most diligent readers from two age groups participating in a schools reading program at the Tallinn Central Library (Tallinna Südalinna raamatukogu).
The head of state and class 3c at Tallinn's 21. keskkool got together after the schoolchildren had between them read a total of 36,278 pages. They were joined by class 7b of Tallinna Reaalkool, who amassed 25,994 read.
Merle Tanilsoo, the chief specialist for children's services with Tallinn libraries, said: "It is highly symbolic that it is President Alar Karis – the patron of the Year of the Estonian Book – who has come to recognize the winners of our reading program. This is a powerful message: Reading is not only beneficial, but also retained. Such a meeting may stay in a child's memory for life."
Over a period of four months, students and teachers from grades 1 to 9 in schools across Tallinn were tasked with reading works by Estonian authors, and totaled over 220,000 pages.
The aim of the program, called "Loeme ennast olevikku" ("Reading ourselves into the present") is to encourage young people to read books and to develop a reading habit.
It delves into the history of Estonian children's and youth literature right down to the present.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Neit-Eerik Nestor
