On 23 April, the World Book Day, Reading Start is launched in Shenzhen.

Reading Start distributes free reading backpacks to children born after 1 January 2013 in Shenzhen, benefiting millions of children aged 0-6 years. In addition to handing out reading backpacks, the program will establish an early children’s reading volunteer system and set up information platforms sharing knowledge about early children’s reading.

Reading Start is the first large-scale charitable reading program in Shenzhen after the issuing of “Shenzhen Special Economic Zone National Reading Promotion Regulation” at the beginning of this month. Counselor of the State Counsel and consultant of Shenzhen Reading Month Organizing Committee Wang Jing Sheng has attended the launching ceremony of Reading Start. He said: “Reading Start is preparing for a family, a city and a country’s future.”

“Reading Start is only a beginning. It’s like drawing only half of a circle, the other half needs to be drawn by children and parents themselves,” Shenzhen Women’s Federation President Ma Yanhong said.

The iRead Foundation’s Director General Li Wen expressed her vision: “Starting from Shenzhen, Reading Start will find a road suitable for the promotion of children’s reading. I hope Reading Start can help families in urban and rural areas, promoting early children’s reading in full scale and building a quality reading country.”

Twelve families collected reading backpacks on stage.

Reading Start is co-launched by Shenzhen Women’s Federation, Shenzhen Reading Month Organizing Committee, Shenzhen Health and Family Planning Commission, Shenzhen Education Science Research Institute, Shenzhen Reading Association, Shenzhen Library and Information Society, and the iRead Foundation.

Professor of Harvard University Catherine Snow who is an expert on language and literacy development in children believes that from a research point of view, Shenzhen’s Reading Start will be the biggest Chinese reading intervention program in the world.

Those who have supported the establishment of Reading Start believe that it will be the signature early children’s reading program both in Shenzhen and China.