The Embassy of Italy in Qatar has set up a national booth entirely dedicated to children’s books at the 31st Doha International Book Fair, putting a spotlight on the importance of early childhood education and rights promotion.
“Our aim is to introduce children to reading and we do that through a number of activities, subject to the latest regulations by Qatar health authorities,” Italian ambassador Alessandro Prunas told Gulf Times on the sidelines of the event’s opening at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre on Thursday.
He said a leading Italian and international centre for the defence and promotion of children’s rights and potentials, ‘Reggio Children’, came to Qatar to organise and manage the Italian pavilion at DIBF.
“They developed a teaching method that is internationally recognised that is very good for young children, it is being exported to countries like the US, and they came here,” noted Prunas.
Dubbed as the ‘Reggio Emilia Approach’, this famous educational project “has become a reference point throughout the world, develops and renews each day in Reggio Emilia’s municipal infant-toddler centres and preschools.”
According to the embassy, the Italian booth aims to “introduce children to reading by offering them a space for active exploration and learning through Italian books, illustrations, and workshops. Special attention will be also dedicated to introducing new methods, books, and tools to educators.”
The embassy also wants to organise drawing and book reading for children in Italian, English, and Arabic languages at the booth.
“We brought some Italian books for children that are also translated in Arabic and English. If the situation allows, we will also organise reading activities because we have people who came for this,” Prunas said. “We fully support these (Covid-19) measures but we are trying to find solutions for the children to take part.”
The embassy’s first-ever participation at DIBF this year – also marks the 30th anniversary of the Italian embassy’s opening in Doha in March 1992 – forms part of a joint project with Qatar’s Ministry of Culture back in October 2020 during the visit of Italy’s Deputy Foreign Minister Marina Sereni in Qatar. It will be presented on January 17 at 10.30am at the book fair’s conference venue.
The Italian booth features two exhibitions of children’s illustrations, including that of Italian writer Gianni Rodari. He won the 1970 Hans Christian Andersen Award – the Nobel Prize for children’s literature, “La torta in cielo” (The Cake in the Sky) and “Fiabe lunghe un sorriso” (Fairy tales long a smile).
Visitors will also have the chance to witness live digital painting sessions daily by Italian artist Enrica Pizzicori, who specialised in children’s illustrations and author of the booth’s main logo.
“Our aim is to introduce children to reading and we do that through a number of activities, subject to the latest regulations by Qatar health authorities,” Italian ambassador Alessandro Prunas told Gulf Times on the sidelines of the event’s opening at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre on Thursday.
He said a leading Italian and international centre for the defence and promotion of children’s rights and potentials, ‘Reggio Children’, came to Qatar to organise and manage the Italian pavilion at DIBF.
“They developed a teaching method that is internationally recognised that is very good for young children, it is being exported to countries like the US, and they came here,” noted Prunas.
Dubbed as the ‘Reggio Emilia Approach’, this famous educational project “has become a reference point throughout the world, develops and renews each day in Reggio Emilia’s municipal infant-toddler centres and preschools.”
According to the embassy, the Italian booth aims to “introduce children to reading by offering them a space for active exploration and learning through Italian books, illustrations, and workshops. Special attention will be also dedicated to introducing new methods, books, and tools to educators.”
The embassy also wants to organise drawing and book reading for children in Italian, English, and Arabic languages at the booth.
“We brought some Italian books for children that are also translated in Arabic and English. If the situation allows, we will also organise reading activities because we have people who came for this,” Prunas said. “We fully support these (Covid-19) measures but we are trying to find solutions for the children to take part.”
The embassy’s first-ever participation at DIBF this year – also marks the 30th anniversary of the Italian embassy’s opening in Doha in March 1992 – forms part of a joint project with Qatar’s Ministry of Culture back in October 2020 during the visit of Italy’s Deputy Foreign Minister Marina Sereni in Qatar. It will be presented on January 17 at 10.30am at the book fair’s conference venue.
The Italian booth features two exhibitions of children’s illustrations, including that of Italian writer Gianni Rodari. He won the 1970 Hans Christian Andersen Award – the Nobel Prize for children’s literature, “La torta in cielo” (The Cake in the Sky) and “Fiabe lunghe un sorriso” (Fairy tales long a smile).
Visitors will also have the chance to witness live digital painting sessions daily by Italian artist Enrica Pizzicori, who specialised in children’s illustrations and author of the booth’s main logo.