António Mauritti

A bit more than 50% of Europeans read at least one book in the past 12 months, according to Eurostat.* This week, I had the pleasure of participating in the third Book 2.0 Apel conference, organised in Lisbon, by the Associação Portuguesa de Editores e Livreiros (APEL) - a very active member of the Federation of European Publishers/Fédération des éditeurs européens. It was inspiring to join policymakers, publishers, authors, educators, researchers – and book lovers! - coming together to discuss #TheFutureOfReading. The President of Portugal Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa brought his passion for books centre stage when he depicted them as much more than that: an opening to pluralism, to freedom, to democracy, enriching the capacity to understand others in an irrational world. Some of my takeaways from this vibrant event: 📖 Literacy is existential. It equips citizens with critical thinking skills, resilience – even happiness! - and civic responsibility. 🌐 Digital and AI, used and framed right, can offer precious support to readers and writers. Technology can transform how books are created, shared, and enjoyed. Ensuring access and inclusivity remains essential, and human-centric AI can be a powerful ally, a gateway to collective intelligence. 🤝 Choice and personalisation matter – Choosing what we read shapes who we are. We must allow especially young people, to make their own reading choices, spark their curiosity and give them the desire and motivation to read. All of this is central to the European Commission’s work. Literacy is a basic skill under pressure, having declined over the last 10 years, alongside math, science and even digital basic skills. This is why speeding up action to defuse this ticking bomb is central for the #UnionOfSkills initiative led by Executive Vice-President Roxana Minzatu. As one of 18 concrete steps in our Basic Skills Action Plan, an EU Literacy Coalition will launch in 2026, bringing together schools, publishers, libraries, and governments to boost literacy and inspire young people to read. An EU Teachers and Trainers Agenda will support educators, recognising their key role in cultivating a culture of reading and healthy digital habits. Through our #CreativeEurope programme, the EU promotes the production and dissemination of books in multiple languages, connecting generations and fostering cultural diversity. The European Union Prize for Literature and the European Authors Day contribute to a richer European literature offer across Europe and beyond. Looking ahead, a strengthened Erasmus+ programme, the future Culture Compass and the AgoraEU programme will help turn the tide on literacy - to make books and reading cool again! Learn more about how the EU supports books, reading and literacy: 👉https://europa.eu/!XcgxjT 👉https://lnkd.in/e8rjMErP *based on Eurostat data from 2022 Photo credits (8/9): @APEL🙏

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