The latest research on the reading habits, practices and cultural consumption of Ecuadorians was presented in 2022 and reveals that on average one whole book and two incomplete books are read per year.
The average is disheartening considering that reading provides elements of comprehension, analysis and enriches everyday writing and dialogue.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, 36% of students have problems with reading comprehension. Silvia Montoya, director of the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, defined it in a BBC publication (2017) as the new illiteracy.
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The challenge of reversing the trend in Ecuador requires a collective effort. In ten days, the ninth edition of the International Book Fair in Guayaquil will begin, an event that is gaining more and more followers every year and is one of the best proofs of the search for change.
The achievement of consolidated indicators and data in 2022 is presented as an input for the construction of public policies that guarantee the realization of cultural rights. A year later, the progress seems invisible, but in the midst of it, it is pleasant to observe the agenda of the Book Fair and encourage Ecuadorians to visit it from September 20 to 24. There will also be celebrations, such as the 150th anniversary of the publication of Around the World in 80 Days or the 85th anniversary of the first Superman comic and the 150th anniversary of the birth of the famous English novelist Clive Staples Lewis (CS Lewis). Prominent domestic and foreign authors will present books and speak.
Ecuadorian publisher Alectrión won six awards at the International Latino Book Awards
The author of the Chronicles of Narnia saga wrote this sentence: “I cannot imagine a man who really enjoys a book and reads it only once.” The book fair is an opportunity for those who have not acquired this habit and for those who already enjoy reading to discover new stories or repeat them. Also, a reminder for the authorities who are obliged to promote book culture policies for the sake of a better country. (OR)
Source: Eluniverso
Mario Twitchell is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his insightful and thought-provoking writing on a wide range of topics including general and opinion. He currently works as a writer at 247 news agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
