"We need to help more children start reading for pleasure and to re-ignite the pleasure of reading among adolescents, young people and adults. Reading for the sake of reading should gain a bigger place in our daily life, in schools and outside it, on a bus or on a train, whether it's from a book, a magazine, a computer or mobile screen." - Androulla Vassiliou
Reading is the gateway to all other learning, to active participation in society and the economy.
As we move towards a knowledge economy, it will become an even more crucial skill, as information technologies play an increasingly important role in our professional, social and democratic lives.
However, one in five 15 year olds in the European Union cannot read properly. Many adults manage to hide their reading difficulties, but find it increasingly difficult to cope without basic skills.
This is why I am launching the campaign "Europe loves reading". A series of reading events across Europe, involving children, adolescents and adults will promote the joy of reading and raise public awareness on the issue of literacy. The events will have a multilingual dimension, encouraging reading aloud in several languages, to diverse audiences.
ec.europa.eu/
