Sanoma joins the Read Hour -campaign for the fifth time. Read Hour raises awareness of the importance of literacy and encourage children and youth in particular to read. Parents are also encouraged to set an example of the importance of reading.
"Sanoma has been supporting the Read Hour campaign from the very beginning. Promoting literacy is an inbuilt part of our sustainability work and business. Literacy is an important human right which promotes equality, democracy and social stability", says Sanoma´s Sustainability manager Eveliina Nygren.
The main event of the campaign will be celebrated on the UN International Literacy Day on 8 September, when people are encouraged to pick up a book and stop. An hour of reading may seem like a long time, but it's worth it. It's a great way to get interested in a story and spark the desire to read more.
"This is a great project because it's easy for everyone to get involved: reading is the best!" Nygren says.
The Read Hour is visible in Sanoma's media as a campaign communication. Advertisements encouraging to read will be published in print newspapers Helsingin Sanomat, Ilta-Sanomat, Satakunta Kansa and Aamulehti, as well as digitally from 4 to 8 September 2023.
Sanoma will support the Read Hour campaign by publishing content that encourages reading. Aku Ankka is celebrates Read Hour by opening the latest issue of Aku Ankka AA36 for everyone to read for free. The free digital version of Akkari, published during Read Hour week, will be available to read on 8 September.
Sanoma also publishes a separately subscribed Children's News newspaper for primary school children. Children's News was first published as a newspaper in August 2020 and has always been based on the desire to promote reading and literacy among children.
Sanoma Pro, a publisher of educational content, encourages teachers and their classes to participate in reading lessons and shares reading tips for pupils and students of all ages.
"Sanoma Pro's learning materials play an important role in reinforcing well-rounded literacy. Literacy is at the heart of all learning and plays a really important role in the future of young people, including in the world of work. By participating in Read Hour, we want to inspire students to read more," says Petra Hyvärinen, Marketing Manager at Sanoma Pro.
This is the fifth year of Read Hour in Finland, organised by the Children and Youth Foundation. Rather than the utilitarian and lip service often associated with reading, Read Hour highlights the joy of reading.
"We know, for example, that reading is the only hobby that is clearly linked to student achievement, and that the educational level of parents influences children's and young people's interest in reading. But this kind of lip service is not the way to increase reading, instead we need to provide more opportunities for children and young people to get excited about reading," says Heidi Enbacka, Programme Manager of Read Hour at the Children and Youth Foundation.
In addition to Finland, Read Hour is also celebrated in Sweden, Norway, Estonia, the UK and, for the first time this year, Denmark.