The Children’s Roman Library in Romania

The Children’s Roman Library in Bucharest’s suburb of Giulesti, was created in 2016 on the initiative of Gunilla Lundgren in collaboration with Fred Taikon and Arina Stoenescu.

In the fall of 2022, the library’s books have been incorporated with the National Library of Romania [Biblioteca Naţională a României] in the children’s and youth section ”Ionel Teodoreanu”.

The following activities have been carried out during October 2022:

  • Workshop for librarians together with the National Association of Romanian Librarians coordinating small rural libraries with a need for books with a Roma theme
  • Book packages have been distributed to local preschools and schools
  • Workshops in local libraries

♥ Fred Taikon was awarded the 2022 Raoul Wallenberg Prize for ”His persistent work for Roma rights”.
♥ Gunilla Lundgren, the founder of the Children’s Roman Library in Bucharest, was nominated in 2020 for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA).
♥ Arina Stoenescu was awarded the Fire Soul Award 2020 because she ”works tirelessly across linguistic and cultural boundaries, and has a special ability to turn ideas into reality”.

Collaborators in Romania: Asociatia Cu alte cuvinte, Asociatia Harap Alb and Ovidiu.ro


Motivation:
The purpose of the project to promote reading and teaching for Roma children is in line with The Book Aid statutes