At the eve of the 2024 elections, European publishers call on the European Parliament to uphold a vibrant publishing sector, the largest cultural industry in Europe, ensuring that we can continue to freely publish a wide variety of books, guaranteeing freedom of expression, a plurality of opinions and our democratic values.
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Get Caught Reading campaign & exhibition
Get Caught Reading is a campaign to promote books and reading inspired by a US campaign organised by the Association of American Publishers, at the initiative of its former President and CEO Patricia Schroeder. FEP ran the first European edition in 2005 when more than one hundred personalities were ’caught’ reading, including former and current Presidents of the European Parliament, Commissioners and Members of the European Parliament. The 2013 edition has been even more successful, under the patronage of MEP Luigi Berlinguer, and with the support of Bertelsmann, Librius and Pearson.
©Didier Joseph Vandenbosch
More than 160 European personalities shared their passion for reading in photos capturing them with their favourite book and a quote explaining why reading is important to them. The participants included José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament, Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, national ministers, and many Members of the European Parliament as well as representatives of the book industry. In addition, further photos were taken of those visiting the exhibition in the Parliament.
©Didier Joseph Vandenbosch
Get Caught Reading set out with two main purposes: to promote and celebrate European citizens reading, and to increase the importance of books and reading on the political agenda. We want to remind people that reading is both a real joy and the gateway to a world of opportunities.
©Didier Joseph Vandenbosch
Get Caught Reading aims to have as wide a European outreach as possible – as oppose to only being available to those in Brussels. As well as continuing the campaign online through social media, FEP aimed to make the exhibition available to visitors at other locations throughout the year of its launch.
The pictures were first displayed at the European Parliament in Brussels between the 17th and the 20th of June 2013. At the official launch, on the 18th, FEP were delighted to welcome those coming to see the pictures, including Ms Fadila Laanan, Belgian Minister for Culture, the Audiovisual Sector, Health and Equal Opportunities, Ms Doris Pack, Chair of the European Parliament Committee on Culture and Education, Mr Piotr Marciszuk, President of the Federation of European Publishers and Mr Luigi Berlinguer.
©Didier Joseph Vandenbosch
The exhibition of photos then went to the 2013 Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany in October.
The pictures featured were of Martin Schulz, Herman Van Rompuy, Jose-Manuel Barroso, Gottfried Honnefelder (President of the German Booksellers’ and Publishers’ Association), members of the European Commission and Parliament, and national ministers who participated in the campaign. The photos of the famous faces being caught reading made for an impressive display at the Fair and were a popular exhibition.
From the initial exhibition of photos in the European Parliament in June 2013, to the creation of a commemorative e-book, this edition of Get Caught Reading has been a tremendous success, a pleasure for the visitors of the exhibition and an important reminder of the value of reading for Europe and each of our lives.
FEP looks forward to a third edition which is scheduled for 2015.
©Didier Joseph Vandenbosch
To keep up to date with the campaign please visit the website, Facebook page and Twitter!
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