Reading enriches your vocabulary - 2nd Lady

The Wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Matilda Amissah-Arthur, has appealed to the youth to take reading serious since it would enrich their vocabulary and make them confident.

Mrs. Matilda Amissah-Arthur was speaking at the International Children’s Book Day (ICBD) which is a project of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) and celebrated annually in commemoration of Hans Christian Anderson’s birthday.

Christian Anderson was a prolific writer of children’s books and famous for his fairy tales which were not meant merely for children but also for adults.

She said: “Reading makes a man ‘’, “Reading takes you the world that you’ve never been to. Reading stimulates the minds and challenge people and also transforms lives.

The celebration is on the theme, “once upon a time,” She said the Birthday is deliberated on International Children's Book Day (ICBD) is a yearly event sponsored by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), an international non-profit organization.

Founded in 1967, the day is observed on or around Hans Christian Andersen's birthday, April 2. Activities include writing competitions, announcements of book awards and events with authors of children's literature.

Mrs. Amissah Arthur said during his birthday celebration children in every country are reminded of the stories that he wrote - some of which are "The Little Mermaid." “The Princess and the Pea”, "Snow White" The Ugly Duckling.” ‘’The Emperor's New Clothes”

She called on the youth to emulate Hans Christian Anderson who was an ordinary poor boy who persevered in spite of all the challenges he faced and became a famous author

Each year a different National Section of IBBY has the opportunityto be the international sponsor of ICBD. They use materials in different ways to promote books and reading. Many IBBY Sections promote ICBD through the media and organize activities in schools and public libraries.

Often ICBD is linked to celebrations around children's books and other special events that may include encounters with authors and illustrators, writing competitions or announcements of book awards.

As part of the program the ICBD annually organizes competitions among Junior High, Upper primary and Pre Schools in the form of quiz, spelling Bee, Essay Writing, Reading, Recital, Cultural and Singing throughout the country basically in the Districts, Municipalities, and the Metropolis.

Some schools were selected in the Accra Metropolis for the competition which is intended to address the perennial problem of reading in the country, showcase the importance of public libraries in national development and to encourage every pupil to read and have access to books and other reading materials.

The competitions are the means by which GhLA in collaboration with other interested parties would whip up enthusiasm in reading.

It organizes book fairs, increased its membership drive and organized reading promotion activities to help children to cultivate the reading habit, encourage library use and assist in the provision of quality education

GhLA also provides Information Communication Technology centres and provides mobile library services with support from the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications to automate the public library system. .