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“We need to promote the SDGs in children’s books so they feel inspired to bring about a better future for all” – Princess Christina Ude

World Book Day is a charity event held annually in the UK and Ireland on the first Thursday in March every year while most countries celebrate Book Day on April 23rd. This year’s theme is – ‘You Are A Reader’.

On World Book Day, every child in full-time education is given quality time, to be spent on books; the event was first celebrated in the United Kingdom in 1995. World Book Day is all about celebrating the wonderful power of books and the joy of reading. It is meant to help encourage a love of reading.

Last week Thursday, in line with the vision of His Excellency the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, to give every child a sense of belonging, quality education and to revive the educational sector in Imo state, making it a subject of conversation both at National and Global levels, the Special Adviser to the Imo State Governor on Humanitarian Affairs and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Princess Christina Ude in commemorating World Book Day, visited primary school pupils in the state to donate books titled: The Student Edition of the Global Goals for Sustainable Development Goals for primary 4, 5 and 6.

The Special Adviser, while interacting with the pupils at the primary school, and reading to them, explained the Sustainable Development Goals in simple terms as a collection of 17 global goals, set up in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly (UN-GA) that can transform our world and are intended to be achieved by the year 2030.  She also pointed out that quality education, being the fourth goal of the SDGs can be achieved through reading, use of quality learning tools, professional development; and the establishment of safe and supportive quality learning environments.

One of her core objectives was to show how schools can adopt reading for spreading awareness about the SDG’s.

While fielding answers, the Special Adviser said that about 8,000 books have been made available by OSSAP, to be shared to various schools in the state as a way of encouraging quality education, promoting the SDGs and a reading culture.

She informed the pupils that the books she donated to their school will introduce the SDGs to them through stories, and they should read the books because there is no better way to gain knowledge than reading a book.

Hon Ude also advised the pupils to take their academics seriously, as this is the surest way they can become great in the future and also good citizens to the society at large.

In their vote of thanks, school management and pupils, expressed their deep gratitude to the Imo State Governor, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma through the Special Adviser on Humanitarian Affairs and Sustainable Development Goals for visiting their school and promised to do their best in training the pupils into becoming good and exemplary children that will make their families and their state proud.

At the end of the event, Princess Ude gifted the pupils and school management copies of The Student Edition of the Global Goals for Sustainable Development Goals for primary 4,5 and 6 for their reading and the school library.