Travelling Books 2012

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Kia ora koutou, tēnei aku mihi māhana ki a koutou.  Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, warm greetings to you all.

I specifically acknowledge: Serenah Nicholson and Dr Kim Currie, joint Kaiwhakahaere of Literacy Aotearoa, and Bronwyn Yates, Tumuaki; Hon Dr Pita Sharples, Minister of Māori Affairs; Hon Sir Michael Cullen, Chairman of New Zealand Post; Tracey Martin, member of Parliament—tēnā koutou katoa.

It’s a great pleasure for me to welcome you all to Government House in Auckland this evening for the launch of Travelling Books for 2012.  Her Excellency will join us as soon as she arrives from Wellington.

Literacy is a passion close to our hearts.  We’ve always loved reading and it’s a passion we’ve promoted to our five children.  With our first mokopuna joining the whanau earlier this year, we are even more conscious of how important reading is.  One of our first gifts to her was “our” favourite book – Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy.  I’m reminded also of a comment our eldest daughter made during her first year at university; that she was disappointed that many of her friends didn’t read for pleasure.

I can therefore relate to comments made by Nelson Mandela - a man who describes his favourite pastime as reading.  In a speech in 2005, he lamented the seemingly growing disinterest in reading, when he made the following comments:  “One of the sad realities today is that very few people, especially young people, read books.  Unless we can find imaginative ways of addressing this reality, future generations are in danger of losing their history.”

Mandela’s comments underscore the point that reading is about more than recognising words on a page or merely imparting information.  Reading provides a window to knowledge.  We can see into worlds beyond those we live in.  It enables us to travel to places we may never visit physically, to meet people we may never speak to face-to-face, and to see and feel things we may never touch.  

Reading creates a window to a world of imagination that can spark creativity within us.  It is a window to help understand the facts of our past – to gain insights that can help us address the challenges we face today and tomorrow.  Yet, reading above all else is a constant source of enjoyment and entertainment.  

Literacy is not a luxury; it is a fundamental life skill and a moral right.  And if one was looking for an “imaginative way” - to use Nelson Mandel’s plea - to both encourage people to read and to promote literacy, then this Travelling Books initiative is simply superb.  Releasing more than 5000 books into the community is a fantastic initiative to foster a love of reading.  Sharing books in this way will undoubtedly bring people enjoyment. 

Like putting a message in a bottle and throwing it in the ocean, you may never ever know where the book you found, read, enjoyed and left for someone else to take will eventually end up.  To think of where it may end up, well, that is the stuff of the imagination.

I congratulate Literacy Aotearoa and New Zealand Post for promoting Travelling Books.  It is a fun way of bringing the joy of reading to people both young and old, while highlighting the serious issue of adults who have difficulty reading. 

Being unable to read is an embarrassment that few people want to share.  I salute those of you who are here as examples of courage and determination to overcome reading difficulties.  I look forward to hearing the stories of the two students who have overcome their reading difficulties. 

Thank you again and I trust you enjoy the hospitality of Government House this evening.  Kia ora huihui tātou katoa.