Sofia Zacharaki, Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, participated remotely in an event held on the occasion of International Children’s Book Day at the 1st Primary School of Vrilissia, where author Kyriakos Athanasiadis read his book “The Most Beautiful Word in the World” to the children.

The event, attended by students, highlighted the importance of early contact with books, as well as the crucial role of reading in shaping children’s personalities.

Sofia Zacharaki stressed that fostering a love of reading is a key priority of education policy, noting that “books broaden horizons, enhance imagination, and cultivate children’s thinking, contributing significantly to the development of active and thoughtful citizens.”

“Our goal is to bring books closer to students, boosting creativity, imagination, and the joy of reading,” she added.

The Ministry is moving forward with the creation of a unified network of school libraries across the country, aiming to substantially strengthen reading culture and upgrade the educational infrastructure of public schools.

Within this framework, new school libraries are being established each year, existing ones are being upgraded, and more than 8,000 school units are being enriched with book collections—laying the foundation for a comprehensive national framework for school libraries for the first time.

At the same time, the digital interconnection of school libraries with the National Library of Greece is being launched, ensuring broader and equal access for students to educational and cultural materials.

Additionally, the Ministry is reinforcing school libraries with professional librarians, while plans include enriching them with up to 2,000 new book titles and modern materials, strengthening both new and existing structures.

The aim of these initiatives is to transform school libraries into vibrant, welcoming, and creative learning spaces, where access to knowledge and modern educational tools will be equal for all students.

The new institutional framework is being implemented through the program “Strengthening and Enrichment of School Libraries” under ESPA 2021–2027, with a total budget of €60 million. It includes, among other actions, the development and expansion of book collections, staffing with specialized personnel, and the operation of a National School Libraries Network with the participation of the educational community.

Special emphasis on literature has also been incorporated into the new curricula.

Finally, the Ministry of Education, through CTI Diophantus, has distributed complete literary books (both printed and digital) to all levels of education, from primary to upper secondary school.

These books are provided free of charge and are taught alongside standard textbooks, aiming to strengthen reading habits and critical thinking.