Jocelyne Trouillot

IBBY Honour List 2010, Jocelyne Trouilot, translator nominee from Haiti

It is a great pleasure tonight to say, in the names of all of us  who received the diplomas, how grateful we are for such recognition although we did not do what we did for the honour. The joy of writing, illustrating or translating and our love for children was our prime motivation.

Every honor is a symbol. The Honour List activity illustrates the spirit of IBBY: Respect, promote and recognize the richness of children literature. The books presented are different, they are unique, but they also have one thing in common: they will be loved by children.

This activity celebrates also the act of sharing. It has often been said that there is some kind of solitude in writing, in fact, in many acts of creation. This is also true for the illustrators and the translators. Very often, people do not realize that translating is also a creative process. Meeting and exposing our work contributes to regroup our forces and recognize the strength of minorities. For many developing countries, there are not enough children's books, not enough children's authors. Illustrating children books is a new field. Translating books from one minority language to another language and vice versa is crucial in the development of fine literature for children.

What is more important than anything, is that we are honouring children by putting into their hands the best books that their country can offer. It is also an opportunity for all people involved in the field of children literature to become aware of the diversity of opportunities in that field. 

This honour tonight goes then to the children, celebrating their joy in reading and the incredible power of books in their lives.

In the names of all of us, I want to thank all those who worked on presenting the Honour List, the IBBY Secretariat, the 64 national sections and of course the IBBY president, Patricia Aldana.

Thank you, Mèsi, Gracias, Merci

Jocelyne Trouillot

Santiago de Compostela, 9 September 2010