Speech
Literacy Aotearoa Travelling Books 2014
Kia ora tātou. Naumai haere mai rā ki te Whare Kawana o Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Greetings and welcome to Government House.
I specifically acknowledge: Dame Iritana Tawhiwhirangi, tēnā koe e kui; and Bronwyn Yates, of Literacy Aotearoa; Mr Malcolm Shaw, the representative of New Zealand Post; and others - tēnā koutou katoa
I am delighted to welcome you all to Government House. It’s hard to believe that a year has passed since the last release of Travelling Books at Government House in Auckland. Last year, over seven thousand books were sent on intrepid journeys.
Each year the number of Travelling Books has grown, and with that the enthusiasm with which it has been received by the public. The commitment and endeavour of Literacy Aotearoa, New Zealand Post and the publishers and supporters has been, yet again, superb. This year, just over 9 thousand new books are ready to be released, found and taken into new homes, read and passed on.
Travelling Books represents more than just distributing good reading material. It also carries a message about the importance of literacy and the joy of reading.
For many of us, sitting down with a good book is an enjoyable pastime. Books provide us with education, entertainment and insight about the world we live in. When reading comes to us easily, we casually accept the part it plays in our daily lives.
However, for more than one million New Zealanders reading is challenge. Books may as well come fitted with a padlock. Having a quarter of our population who can’t read or who have problems reading represents opportunities lost and a huge cost.
No matter how capable and intelligent these New Zealanders are, they’re neither able to contribute fully in bringing up their children, nor are they able to participate fully in their community. They are locked out of opportunities for employment, further education becomes difficult, if not impossible, and everyday tasks become a frustration, an embarrassment.
Problems with literacy have serious implications for the social, economic and general welfare of individuals and their families.
It must be a hard thing to live with every day. Some of us can only imagine the adverse emotional and mental effects for such people. Most suffer in silence, they fear being discovered and considered stupid, and go to extreme lengths to cover up their dilemma.
The work done by Literacy Aotearoa’s member providers to unlock the padlocks around reading pays huge dividends for everyone. Reading to your child or mokopuna is a wonder. Reading enables a student to access a brighter future. Parents who can sit and read with their children provide a positive example to follow in learning, in determination and in life. All of these things are all part of the Travelling Books narrative. It’s a great story and proof that happy endings are not just found in books.
The Travelling Books Project has been a great way of reminding New Zealanders about the importance of literacy. For those of us who love reading, it encourages us to read more. For others, it’s a useful lead-in to that one book that may turn on the light for them about the joy of reading, and act as a spur towards improving one’s level of literacy; a brave step to take. The stories we hear from those who have done it, show the joy and sense of esteem that can be realised.
Books may just be paper and board, but what incredible power they have. The French poet, author and dramatist Victor Hugo made the comment that: “To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark.”
We may not ever find out where many of these books end up, but isn’t it great to be here at the beginning of their journeys, to anticipate the possibilities they hold, the sparks these books carry with them, and to contemplate the many fires they will fuel.
Kia ora huihui tātou katoa