Have you ever wondered what life might be like without books, magazines, the Internet, or any other information resources? It might be a crisis for us to finish our homework without Wikipedia (oh, the horror of SOPA!), but in many parts of the world, there is immense censorship, from books to the internet. Even here in Canada, censorship takes place through the banning of certain books and magazines at the border. Throughout the world people fight for rights and freedoms, and one of the ways that Canadians can do so is by reaffirming their rights to intellectual freedom and the rights for other people around the world.
Freedom to Read Week, running Feb 26 to March 3, is an annual event that recognizes the importance of people’s rights to read, and allows Canadians to get involved in the promotion of these rights. This year, the Calgary Public Library is getting involved through their annual contest, Who chooses what you read? The point is to express your thoughts on the freedom to read through one of the following mediums:
- Poster
- Poem, short story or essay
- Film
The Calgary Public Library’s contest is a great way to get involved in something that matters and help make a difference in the world, so I would highly encourage you to participate! The contest is open to Calgary students in Grades 7-9, and entries must be received by Feb 15, so get a move on! For more details on the contest, visit the Calgary Public Library’s website.
If you’re not in Grades 7-9, don’t fret, because there are still plenty of ways for you be involved in Freedom to Read Week! For more information on this Canada-wide event and on ways that you can help, visit FreedomtoRead.ca.
