What is IBBY?
IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People) is a non-profit organization which represents an international network of people from all over the world who are committed to bringing books and children together. It was founded in Zurich, Switzerland in 1953 and is composed of more than 80 Sections all over the world.
IBBY’s Missions:
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To promote international understanding through children’s books
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To support every child’s right to become a lifelong reader
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To uphold and protect the Rights of the Child in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
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To encourage production and ensure access to high-quality books, both print and digital, addressing the needs of young readers everywhere
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To stimulate research and scholarly works in the field of children’s literature
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To support and train those working with children and children’s literature
IBBY is committed to the principles of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by the United Nations in 1990. One of its main proclamations is the right of the child to a general education and to direct access to information. Thanks to IBBY’s insistence, the resolution includes an appeal to all nations to promote the production and distribution of children’s books.
For details, please visit:
https://ibby.org/
What is the IBBY Asia Pacific Regional Conference?
IBBY holds its World Congresses in even-numbered years and Regional Conferences in odd-numbered years.
The Asia-Pacific region, to which Japan belongs, currently has 23 IBBY sections: Afghanistan, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Palestine, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Viet Nam.
And in 2027, Japan will host the IBBY Asia Pacific Regional Conference in Tokyo.
Welcome Message from the Conference Chair
Greetings everyone. The Japanese Board on Books for Young People (JBBY) will be hosting The IBBY Asia Pacific Regional Conference July 10–11, 2027. JBBY is a branch of IBBY (the International Board on Books for Young People), a network with branches in 80 countries and areas throughout the world.
With the mission of promoting international understanding through children’s books, IBBY holds international conferences on a regular basis. They are invaluable opportunities to assemble people from around the world, deepen friendships, and reconfirm the power of children’s literature. JBBY will be sponsoring this conference for the first time in 40 years.
Lectures, exhibits and presentations are planned for the two days, and a wide range of guests from Japan and other countries will be invited to participate. Main events will have interpretation in both English and Japanese. We are greatly looking forward to literary exchanges among the 23 countries in the Asia Pacific region. Modern society is overrun by prejudice, hate and exclusionism, but there are no such divisions when it comes to children’s books. Under the theme of “Connecting the World Through Books,” we at JBBY are enthusiastically preparing for this event at a time when we most need to listen to one another, recognize our diversity, and come together to expand a global ring of peace.
All people interested in children’s books are invited to attend and participate. We are eagerly looking forward to welcoming many people from Japan and around the world.
Kazumi Uno (Chair of the 2027 IBBY Asia Pacific Regional Conference Organizing Committee / JBBY President)
What is JBBY?
The Japanese Board on Books for Young People (JBBY) was established in 1974 in accordance to the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), a non-profit organization which represents an international network of people from all over the world, who are committed to promote international understanding through children's books.
Since then, wishing to achieve the world where every child can live in peace through books, JBBY has been working on various activities to connect Japan and the world as one of the IBBY sections, as well as carrying out many events unique to Japan.
And these activities are accomplished by the volunteer spirit of its members who broadly have interests for children’s books as authors, illustrators, translators, editors, librarians and readers, and are supported by those who endorse our mission.
For details, please visit:
https://jbby.org/
