Qatar Foundation (QF) vice chairperson and CEO HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad al-Thani graced the opening of National Reading Campaign’s Characters’ Village at Education City’s Ceremonial Court and Green Spine.
The large scale activity, which runs until Saturday, aims to inspire a new generation of readers by nurturing a love of books from an early age, QF said in a statement.
“The need to create new and original tools to help children learn is becoming increasingly important in today’s constantly-evolving world,” said HE Sheikha Hind, who visited the event’s various ‘edutainment’ areas and engaged with dozens of children from the community.
“This initiative epitomises that belief as it aims to encourage curiosity, unlock imagination, and foster a passion for knowledge in young minds,” she noted.
According to QF, ‘Characters’ Village’ is designed around the National Reading Campaign’s six children’s fictional characters: Little Red Riding Hood, Pinocchio, Alice in Wonderland, Joha, Little Lulu, and Sinbad.
A number of activities feature a mascot to encourage a ‘learning through play’ approach. Each character occupies its own space at the event, allowing children to learn and play with their favourite storybook friends.
“Reading is a fundamental building block of education. Through the ‘Characters’ Village’, and ultimately the National Reading Campaign, we are providing unique and innovative opportunities designed to foster a culture of lifelong learning,” HE Sheikha Hind said.
QF wants to inspire today’s children to pursue passions both inside and outside of the classroom, and equip them with the skills and abilities to become well-rounded, successful individuals.
In addition to the character zones, other activities at the event include storytelling areas, a book maze, fun and educational games. Organisers also put up food stalls, which serve a variety of snacks and beverages.
The National Reading Campaign’s Reading Truck, a dedicated vehicle that operates as a mobile library, is also deployed at the venue to provide readily available books for visitors.
The ‘Characters’ Village’ will be open to the entire community from 3pm to 11pm today, and 11am to 11pm tomorrow.
In co-ordination with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the organisers have invited various schools across the country to take part in an “innovative event” that foster a lifelong pursuit of knowledge.
The National Reading Campaign’ also holds regular reading sessions in many schools to further promote reading to young students in a fun, exciting and interesting way.