As readers, who understand the importance of reading, we may often wonder how we can help spread that understanding to a wider audience.

The Australian Children's Laureate Summit to be held in Sydney over two days offers that oportunity!

Day One, February 28 2019: For adult delegates, the opportunity to have your say about the importance of and possible strategies for, empowering children through reading and developing a great reading nation.
Day Two, March 1, 2019: For selected children from diverse backgrounds and regional parts of NSW to participate in workshops with all five laureates and consult with the Advocate for Children and Young People, NSW.

The Australian Children’s Laureate Foundation (ACLF), the Not for Profit organisation that manages the Laureate program, proudly hosts this inaugural Summit.
Five esteemed Australian children's book creators have been awarded this honour since 2012. Each is passionately aware of the importance of developing a love of reading in children. They interact creatively with children and adults inspiring them with the power stories have to let them see, feel, imagine and understand themselves and others.
Our Laureates are:
Boori Monty Pryor and Alison Lester (2012 and 2013); Jackie French (2014 and 2015); Leigh Hobbs (2016 and 2017) and Morris Gleitzman (2018 and 2019).
You will hear each of them talk about what the role of Children's Laureate means to them -

• 'The future of Australia lies in imagination. To have a creative economy we need curious children and to have curious children we need children who are not only able to read, but children who WANT to read. To build a culture of reading, we need a nation of story-tellers'
Boori Monty Pryor

• 'Young readers are our future thinkers - creative, critical, broad-minded thinkers. Reading is essential, and the Laureate program is a proven way to inspire kids, their peers and families to keep reading to keep exploring and to remain, above all, curios.'  
Alison Lester

• 'Stories tell us who we are. They teach us empathy... they give us the power to imagine and create the future... I'm here to convince kids that there's a magic book for everyone.'
Jackie French

• 'I suspect that the power and imortance of humour in children's books is often misunderstood and underestimated.'                                                                       
Leigh Hobbs

• 'The discovery of how much we all share inside, regardless of our physical and circumstantial differences, is a source of great reassurance to young readers.'          
Morris Gleitzman

About the Program & registration:

Day One of the program is aimed at authors, illustrators, librarians, publishing professionals, booksellers, children’s literature advocates, teachers and academics.
It will open with a panel discussion featuring all five laureates, followed by breakout groups and practical workshops run by each of the laureates. The focus for discussion will be on ‘ways we can make Australia a great reading nation.’

Day Two of the program is a free day for selected children from diverse backgrounds and regional parts of NSW, and is held in conjunction with the Advocate for Children and Young People, an independent statutory appointment that advocates for the safety, welfare and wellbeing of all children and young people in NSW. Children attending day two will participate in workshops with all five laureates and consult with the Advocate for Children and Young People to discuss how they’d like to see books and reading supported more in their schools, homes and communities.

The ACLF will collate responses from the  people attending the summit and ensure that their recommendations are shared directly with decision makers at federal and state levels.

For more information about the summit, and to register, click here.