Foreword by ibby president, Peter Schneck

Peru:

The section undertook two projects in the Andes region and ran a Children in Crisis project following a large earthquake in the area.

Russia:

The section successfully cooperates with some children’s libraries, and jointly organizes meetings with different specialists, local exhibitions, and book presentations. They are also active in cooperation with the Russian Centres of Science and Culture of Russian Embassies outside the country. Participation in the St. Petersburg International Book Salon is very successful for the section, as is the ICBD celebration and the Week of Children's Books.

Slovakia:

For the past 20 years IBBY Slovakia has been very successful in their project Days of Children’s Books as part of ICBD activities. The programme includes meetings with writers and illustrators in schools and libraries, professional seminars for teachers and librarians. Each year the project takes place in a different region of Slovakia.

South Africa:

The section holds seasonal BookBashes each year, with different themes. They have included successful topics such as: presentations by publishers of their newest and forthcoming works; presentations by self-publishers and small independent publishers; conversations and extended interviews with authors and illustrators.

Switzerland:

Swiss IBBY has been successful with their reading promotion projects such as Schweizerische Erzählnacht (Swiss story-telling night), Bücherraupe (Book caterpillar), Lesebazillus (The reading bug), Ton ab, Buch auf (Switch off, book out), Family literacy, and Leseanimation für den Vorschulbereich (Reading animation for pre-schoolers).

Thailand:

The Thai Bookstart project is very successful. With the support of PUBAT the section runs the Dream and Love for Children project. They take 300-400 children from orphanages and other facilities to book fairs 3 times a year, and give them each a sum (300 Baht approx. CHF 10) to buy any book they choose. The publishers sell their books at reduced prices for this programme. The Siam Cement Foundation supports ThaiBBY in its programme Tales in the Garden, which is an open-air library with activities for families in the public gardens during the cool and dry season.

Ukraine:

Successful activities include making a directory of child's writers of a few regions of Ukraine; publishing the book Mitten of Ukrainian folk tales, organizing meetings with young poets and writers in the libraries of Ukraine; publishing works of young authors in various Ukrainian magazines; and organizing holidays for disabled children.

United States:

In 2007-2008 USBBY with CBC (Children's Book Council), published their Outstanding International Booklist, which helps to build a bridge between the US and the rest of the world by introducing American readers to outstanding international artists and writers to help children to see the world from other points of view.

Uruguay:

In 2006 IBBY Uruguay organized a joint project with UNICEF to provide training courses across the country for teachers in schools that are in critical condition. During 2007-2008 IBBY Uruguay participated in the Ministry of Culture and Education’s National Reading Plan in an advisory capacity. The plan sends members of IBBY Uruguay to different small libraries and other reading spaces to train people who work with children and other users. The IBBY-Yamada project Animarse a leer with additional support from the Dutch IBBY Section, was successful in training teachers how to promote reading among school children in the marginalized neighbourhoods of Montevideo.

Venezuela:

The section has many successful regular activities, as well as numerous projects running throughout the year.