ICCROM Library has been awarded the Europe Challenge 2022 - an annual programme promoted by the European Cultural Foundation that provides funding and support to libraries and their communities to design, test and implement solutions to local challenges that can benefit all of Europe.
The initiative
The ICCROM library has come together with the local school, Istituto Comprensivo Regina Margherita – home to children from many different backgrounds and cultures – to form the Reading for a better world challenge group. Together, we want to encourage children to be more aware of heritage and its preservation and make culture a means of dialogue and exchange.
The challenge team started by forming working groups to plan different activities. They invited authors to a series of lectures. Young library visitors were invited to play an active part in collection development and in heritage practice more generally. The children have been enthusiastic during the visits, and their creative and fresh contributions contribute to an exercise of collective learning during the ‘Heritage talks’.
What’s next?
Now that the pilot phase has finished, the team believes it is crucial to ensure that the collaboration between the school and ICCROM continues. New funds will be needed to ensure a steadily growing collection of multilingual resources, as well as cooperation with partners in ICCROM Member States.
The challenge team said: “We believe that other academic libraries and research organisations should open to a young audience, including them in thinking on themes that are vital for building a better future.”
A book has recently been published that showcases 39 initiatives ignited by the Europe Challenge programme.