Palestine

Palestine was officially declared the 65th IBBY Section during the Children’s International Bologna Book Fair in April 2003. Nilima Sinha (India), IBBY’s Vice President and Chair of the Membership Subcommittee at that time, said:

“ ... In these difficult and painful times, when children are suffering as a result of a conflict for which they bear no responsibility, which they cannot comprehend, and before which they are helpless, it is important for us to reaffirm the ideals that IBBY stands for. It is children’s culture and their right to books and reading that we normally value. Today it is the very lives of children that need to be defended."
 
PBBY comprises librarians, writers, teachers, illustrators, educators, experts and publishers, whether individuals or institutes. PBBY's different activities address the children's right to books and education. Thus PBBY supports literacy and children's culture, and encourages reading and the promotion of quality of books in Palestine.

PBBY has organized many activities including a very successful editing workshop – the first in the Arab world and three workshops on the occasion of Astrid Lindgren Centenary; each workshop discussing one of her most popular books.

PBBY has helped to establish two children libraries in the most dangerous and marginalized areas in Gaza, in cooperation with two community based centres in Beit Hanoun and Rafah. Psycho-social activities and encouraging reading is being implemented there through book discussions, storytelling, creative writing, drama, expression through illustrations, painting, producing a play by children and preparing wall magazines and other similar activities.  Furthermore, bibliotherapy training will be given to the librarians and teachers working in the area. The libraries are IBBY Children in Crisis projects funded through IBBY Children in Crisis Appeals and the Sharjah/IBBY Fund.