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Showing posts from June 9, 2011

The Singapore Children's Literature Lecture and Awards Presentation Ceremony

The highlight of the Asian Festival of Children's Content (May 26-28 in Singapore) was the Singapore Children's Literature Lecture and Awards Presentation Ceremony . The lecture, entitled "Society, Culture, and Children," was delivered by José Ramos-Horta , the President of East Timor, a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (1996). . . and a children's book author! President Ramos-Horta had a special guest with him: Luis Soriano, founder of Colombia's Biblioburro , a traveling library that distributes books from the backs of two donkeys. I got teary-eyed when I realized who the President's guest was. I remember reading about Luis Soriano in the New York Times back in 2008 - this was when I was feeling burnt out from all my work and studies in English language and literature - and feeling so inspired and hopeful and refreshed. I never imagined I would be in the same room as my hero AND a Nobel Peace Prize winner! After President Ramos-Horta's lecture a