Toronto, February 19, 2022 — The Book and Periodical Council and its Freedom of Expression Committee are proud to announce the 38th annual Freedom to Read Week (FTRW) in Canada. This year’s program runs from February 20 to February 26, and we are excited to see a combination of virtual and in-person celebrations in libraries, schools and homes across the country.
Despite the uncertainty caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it has been heartening to see such vibrant community support as we approach Freedom to Read Week. We know that celebrating the importance of free expression and the freedom to read is vital to who we are, and we must continue to be vigilant about our rights and freedoms in all aspects of our daily lives.
“Freedom to Read Week is a time to celebrate reading and reflect on our ability to read freely in Canada. There are many events being held throughout the week that celebrate creators of the written word and reflect on the importance of diversity and representation on our bookshelves,” says Michelle Arbuckle, co-chair of the Freedom of Expression Committee.
Here are some important events and announcements:
- The Book and Periodical Council’s Freedom of Expression Committee will announce its 2022 Champion of Free Expression on February 21.
- The Writers’ Union of Canada announced its 2022 Freedom to Read Award winner on February 18.
- FTRW events will be hosted by our member organizations such as CANSCAIP, The Writers’ Union of Canada, the League of Canadian Poets and the Ontario Library Association.
Our website will also be brimming with resources, including visuals, activity and display ideas, and newly published articles and interviews. Visit our Events page to learn about and register for FTRW activities, or submit your own to have it shared on our site. Join our social media channels at #FTRWeek and #FreedomtoRead to add to the discussion, or tag us:
Twitter: @freedom_to_read
Instagram: @bookandperiodicalcouncil
Facebook: @FreedomtoReadWeek
About Freedom to Read Week
Freedom to Read Week is organized by the Book and Periodical Council’s Freedom of Expression Committee, a group committed to promoting intellectual freedom in Canada. Since 1978, the committee has worked with educators, librarians, publishers, writers, booksellers, advocacy groups and the community at large to provide information that addresses censorship and book and magazine challenges in Canada.
You can learn more about Freedom to Read Week at our website: https://www.freedomtoread.ca
We acknowledge the support of all our sponsors and supporters. For more information, visit https://www.freedomtoread.ca/freedom-to-read-week/sponsors-and-supporters/.
About the Book and Periodical Council
The Book and Periodical Council is the umbrella organization for Canadian associations that are or whose members are primarily involved with the writing, editing, translating, publishing, producing, distributing, lending, marketing, reading and selling of written words.
For more information, visit www.theBPC.ca.
The Book and Periodical Council (BPC) would like to acknowledge the sacred land upon which we operate. Toronto, known as Tkaronto, is the traditional territory of the Anishnabek Nation, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the Huron Wendat and, most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, who remain the current treaty holders. This territory is subject to the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement that was originally established between the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and the Anishnabek Nation to peaceably and responsibly care for the lands and waters of the Great Lakes region. The tenets of this agreement still hold today and require our ongoing commitment to the land and one another. The meeting place of Tkaronto continues to be home to many First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities from across Turtle Island, and the Book and Periodical Council is grateful to meet and work in this community and on this territory.