International conference on reading held at Moldovan National Library

Chisinau, 25 September /MOLDPRES/ – The has been held the second issue of the international conference: Reading as a basis for culture, knowledge and development, on Wednesday, 25 September, at the National Library of Moldova (BNM).

At the beginning of the event, the head of institution, Elena Pintilei, has mentioned that it aims to promote the book and reading for knowledge and development. "At present, the international community focuses on promoting reading, because only through the book – a personality can develop. The conference is attended by specialists from several fields (librarians, scientific researchers, writers, psychologists, etc.), together with whom we have discussed reading as a universal and local phenomenon, absolutely necessary in our daily life," said Elena Pintilei.

Attending the event, the Secretary of State for Culture, Victoria Nagy Vajda, has said that the basics of reading should be developed from home, from the first years of life. "I should guide you to bring literature to the streets. As there are theatrical projects in tramways, trolleybuses, buses, reading projects can be done on the route of a trolleybus. So as they get in from the end of the route to the other and read either a poem or a piece of literary opera. I should really like to get the literature out of the house and the library and bring it to the street. Let us make reading evenings in parks, where passers – by are attracted by what they read, stop for 10 – 15 minutes and read. Thus, they will discover a new world and become lovers of reading,” said the official.

According to the deputy director of the institution, Vera Osoianu, the conference has conceived as a stage for the forum of managers of the national library system, which will be held on 30 October, in which 2020 will be declared the year of reading. "It is a very important problem for our society, because lately there is a lot of talk about the reading crisis, about the library crisis. It is discussed in contradiction, because in electronic format it is read a lot. In electronic format, however, you cannot read large texts, and the development of memory is done only in reading large texts, such as novels. Umberto Eco said that the traditional book will still survive the e – book. During a conference at the Italian Academy he said that no one could read in electronic format the novel War and Peace. Our library has promoted effective methods of promoting reading, which is necessary for the intellectual development of personality,” said Vera Osoianu.

At the event, it was sent a video message by the head of the European Division of the Library of the American Congress, Grant Harris, who said that promoting reading is a challenge for the world in every city on our planet.

The event has been organised by BNM, Ministry of Education, Culture and Research (MECC) and National Programme: Lectura Central. The first issue of the international conference: Reading as a basis for culture, knowledge and development took place in 2018.