The Syrian Future Movement joins the international community in commemorating International Children’s Book Day, observed annually on April 2nd, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Hans Christian Andersen, a pioneer of children’s literature. The Movement affirms that books are the cornerstone of shaping collective consciousness and building a Syrian national identity capable of confronting the challenges of our time.
The Syrian Future Movement views with grave concern the international reports issued by UNICEF and its partner organizations, which indicate that more than 2.4 million Syrian children are currently out of school. This situation presents a massive knowledge gap that threatens to deprive an entire generation of education due to the lack of cultural resources and the destruction of school library infrastructure, with more than 40% of libraries across various Syrian governorates having been damaged.
The Syrian Future Movement sees International Children’s Book Day as an opportunity to launch its national vision, which considers “knowledge sovereignty” an integral part of national sovereignty. Enabling Syrian children to access both print and digital books is the only way to immunize them against extremist ideology and hate speech, and it is the true guarantee for instilling the values of pluralism and democracy in the developing mind. The Syrian Future Movement emphasizes that the reading crisis in Syria today is not merely technical, but an existential crisis related to the creation of content that addresses children who have experienced the exceptional circumstances of displacement and refuge. It calls upon Syrian cultural institutions, both inside and outside the country, to adopt strategies that support “literature of trauma and recovery,” so that books can serve as a means of psychological healing and the healthy reintegration of children into their communities.
The Syrian Future Movement urges international organizations to increase investment in the “cultural education” sector, which complements formal education, and to provide mobile libraries and reading kits for children in camps and underserved areas. It affirms that eradicating cultural illiteracy is no less important than eradicating basic illiteracy in our struggle for Syria’s survival and prosperity.
The Syrian Future Movement pledges that “investment in human beings” will remain the cornerstone of its political and social project. It extends its heartfelt appreciation to all Syrian writers and illustrators who continue to craft stories of hope, stories that empower Syrian children to dream of a bright future, one governed by science and knowledge.
