The Congress President Vagn Plenge's Opening Speech

Your Majesty, dear friends,

All protocols observed - as they say in Nigeria in order not to make mistakes, because the protocol is extremely elaborate... So in this way: nobody mentioned, nobody forgotten.

I wish you all a hearty welcome!

I attended an IBBY congress for the first time in 1984; that was in Nicosia, Cyprus. There the topic was children's books in the developing countries – and that was the very reason why I participated.

At the General Assembly, I proposed some initiatives to help publishers, for example by facilitating co-production between publishers from the warm countries, as well as between them and publishers in the North, like myself.

However, I began by telling a fragment of a story I had heard in the north of Thailand in 1974, when I spent six months recording tales in various villages: Once upon a time, there was an emperor in China, who had a lovely daughter. Whether the emperor was afraid that unwelcome suitors would impress his daughter too much, or he simply wanted to protect her against any kind of harassment, he placed her in a room high up in a tower. As the only companion he gave her a monkey. I guess the emperor lacked some imagination, because it happened that the princess became pregnant. And the offspring of this match became the first Caucasian; just look how hairy people of this race are compared to the other races, so the story-teller insisted – probably to tease me a bit.

After the general assembly, another participant came to see me, and told me: “I think I know why you told that story...” I must have been very surprised, because I don't remember that he actually told me which reason he figured that I had had.

The topic of this congress is “Stories in History – History in Stories”. I will leave it to you to consider whether this story from a Shan village in Thailand is merely a story - or is History? Perhaps also which motive I might have had in retelling it. Or whether such a story should be told to kids at all. Is it sexist? Is it racist? When I heard it, we were quite many gathered in the village headman's house, also many children were listening.

I am sure you will have the opportunity to hear many more stories during the congress – certainly many aspects and issues of the general topic that are far more interesting and crucial to consider and discuss than my little story. And I wish you both professionally rewarding and personally pleasant moments while doing so.

In fact, I think an important reason to participate in an IBBY congress is to enjoy the opportunity of meeting old friends and colleagues, and making new friendships – networking, as it is called nowadays.

Indeed, I have not missed a single congress since 1984. Of course, at that time - and in fact until 2002 – I had no idea that I would someday be the one to welcome the participants of a congress. Even as we worked on the preparations during the past six years - and the more so, the closer we came to this very day – I don't think that I have been able to imagine how it would actually be.

But now, pinching my arm... yes, it must be reality. And you can hardly imagine how much we have been looking forward to seeing you all.

Once again, all of us from IBBY Danmark wish you some wonderful days in Wonderful Copenhagen at the IBBY 31st World Congress.

Closing speech by Jan Tøth, President IBBY Denmark

Dear, dear IBBY friends

On behalf of IBBY Denmark I would like to thank all of you making this World Congress no. 31 a fantastic event. More than 500 people have been gathered around the subject: Children's books.

Fantastic!

We have been told about “Stories in History – and History in Stories”: gentle, frightening, cruel, beautiful, loving and all have been told with interest in children and young people.

We have heard thoughts about the future of the books for children and as Professor Torben Weinreich said: “Literature has survived, also as art.

And that way it will continue in the future”.

We have heard a lot of exciting key-note and seminar speakers from many countries – and different countries.

But common for them all – they have the love for telling to young people – and we are so lucky as grown ups, that we actually can learn, too.

And that is not bad!

I would really thank all key-note and seminar speakers for using their time at this World Congress and making the congress an exciting event.

I also want to thank all of the helpers and volunteers preparing the congress. They have really worked hard for weeks, monts and years.

We have had a group arranging all the tours to different places and arranging this dinner at Wallmans, but also the Nordic Illustrator Exhibition at the City Hall of Copenhagen .

Thank you to all of you.

Also thank you to the group who has made the programme for the congress – and the pr-group who daily has feed the media with information's. Also the sponsor group need a thank for getting money, so this congress could be possible.

And in this context of course a very very large thank you to all of our sponsors.

I also want to thank Forest Zhang and Liz page. They have really helped us, challenged us and of course supported us.
Thank you Liz and Forest . Please give them an applause.

Also the Board of IBBY Denmark has supported this congress.

Thank you.

And then there is the one and only.

The president of the congress. Vagn Plenge, who has worked twenty five hours a day and made us helpers work thirty hours a day!!!

When I went to bed late in the evening I had no mails – and the next morning Vagn had send me a lot – so thank you Vagn for keeping all of us full time occupied.

But I have forgotten one main person, who has gone through all of the congress.

Hans Christian Andersen – thank you for your help making this

an event in Copenhagen and thank you for your wonderfull stories

which we have known for all of our history.

All of you participants: Thank you for your enthusiasm and energy.

I hope you have had some good days in Denmark and that all of you will have a nice trip home.

And what has all this been about: Literature!

A lot of children have access to books – but too many have not.

That is why we need IBBY – and that is why children need IBBY.
“Literature is language.
Language is experience and communication.
When you open a book you also open a door to a new world where you can recognize a lot of things, but you can also meet new and unknown things.

You can have a meeting with other times, other cultures, other attitudes to life and other people.

When you close the book you leave enriched and wiser on life.

And that is why you and you and you and all of us are working with books because children need history, culture and literature.

Give them books – and they will have history, culture and literature and grow up as understanding tolerant human beings”.

                                              
                                                                                  Justyna Nyka "Ein vakker dag"

Don't miss the exhibition Nordic Manners – children's books illustrations from the North at Copenhagen City Hall , Copenhagen ,
September 3 rd –13 th , 2008.  

The IBBY World Congress is a unique opportunity for promoting the Nordic culture. Therefore IBBY Denmark has as a special feature of the congress arranged for an exhibition of 100 original illustrations taken from picture books from Denmark , the Faroe Islands, Finland , Greenland , Iceland , Norway and Sweden as examples of the Nordic tradition and style.

The exhibition is open to the public Monday – Friday at 7.45-17 o'clock and Saturday at 9.30-13 o'clock. Sunday closed. Vernissage Thursday 4th September 2008 at two o'clock where the Copenhagen City 's Mayor of Culture and Leisure Pia Allerslev welcomes you. You will also have the opportunity of meeting the well-known author, illustrator and member of the IBBY Congress Committee of Honour Ib Spang Olsen. We hope to see you there!

During the visit you might want to rest a while at one of the old City Hall benches and look in one of the children's books. At the exhibition you also find a very special lost property office, established only for this occasion by Den 7. himmel who have been awarded several prizes and are known for their imaginative literary setups in Denmark and abroad ( www.7himmel.dk ).  

IBBY Norway invites you

IBBY Norway – Barnebokforum,
Board Member Marit Hassel
Olav Nygards veg 137
0688 Oslo
Phone +47 995 68 013
E-post: mhassel@start.no

Org nr 975 545 547

We would like to remind you of our Post congress seminar in Norway

IBBY Norway offers a seminar on Books for children with disabilities at the IBBY Documentation Centre on Friday September 12th. 2008.

Please register at barnebokforum@hotmail.com before August 25 th.

Attending the seminar is free, and may well be combined with visiting other parts of Norway .

More information about the programme etc., se the page Pre/post tours.

Poster Exhibition and Award-winning Israeli Illustrator at Gentofte Main Library

The opening of the poster exhibition of 15 of Israel 's leading illustrators is marked by an event in inspiring surroundings in Øregårdssalen at Gentofte Main Library Wednesday September 10 at 15.00. The exhibition curator, Liora Grossman, will be present at the opening of the exhibition to make a brief introduction to the exhibition.

The exhibit focuses on children's books illustrations, which coincides with the 31 st IBBY World Congress taking place September 7-10 in Copenhagen .

Liora Grossman, is a well-known and respected illustrator in Israel , where she is famous for her illustrations of Hans Christian Andersen's tales, as well as other children's books, newspapers and magazines. Appropriately, at the IBBY World Congress in Copenhagen she will receive an Honour List citation for illustrators.

Selected posters from the exhibition have already been on display and received acclaim at the book fair in Frankfurt and international book fairs in Buenos Aires , Geneva , and Bologna . The exhibition's visit to Denmark is presented by the Embassy of Israel, in cooperation with Gentofte Main Library and IBBY Denmark .

The exhibition can be viewed at Gentofte Main Library until mid-October.  

Gentofte Hovedbibliotek

Ahlmanns Allé 6

2900 Hellerup

For further information contact:  

Thomas Rumph, Cultural Officer

Embassy of Israel

Lundevangsvej 4

2900 Hellerup

Phone: +45 88 18 55 00

E-mail: culture@copenhagen.mfa.gov.il

"A World of Illustration - Children's Book Art by Leonard Weisgard"

                                               
           Important Book                              Eskimo                                                                 Little Island

On the occasion of The IBBY Congress in Copenhagen , Galleri Guggen presents a special exhibition of Caldecott award-winning children's book illustrator, Leonard Weisgard.

Weisgard was perhaps best known for his collaboration with the author Margaret Wise Brown. He also collaborated with other children's book writers and wrote several books he illustrated himself.

Weisgard moved from America to Denmark in 1969 where he lived for the rest of his life. His children still live here and have selected the artwork for this exhibition. This is the first time Leonard Weisgard's original artwork is shown in Denmark .

August 30 to September 28, 2008.

Opening hours from Saturday 6 to Friday 12 September, from 12 noon to 8pm.

Galleri Guggen, Stockholmsgade 23, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Tel. 6015 8123, www.galleriguggen.dk , mail@galleriguggen.dk

The gallery is a short distance from the IBBY Congress venue and just around the corner from The State Art Museum and across the street from The Hirschsprung Collection.

From Radisson SAS Scandinavia Hotel take Bus 5A to Nørreport Station; from there bus 6A, 42, 43, 150S, 184, or 185 to Sølvtorvet.