On April 21, children from Ningbo Municipal Jiguan No.1 Kindergarten participated in a themed study tour, "Little Scholars of the Ancient Pavilion," at the Tianyi Pavilion Museum. Led by their teachers, the children read classics and learned about book collection culture. (Photo by Xu Neng and Li Chengzi)
Today marks the 31st World Book Day, coinciding with the nation’s first "National Reading Week." It is reported that today, Ningbo's libraries, bookstores, and various reading organizations have coordinated their efforts, meticulously preparing over 30 diverse and rich reading activities in forms such as lectures, book fairs, interactive sessions, and group reading events.
Among these, Ningbo Library (including Ningbo Children's Library) is hosting 18 events today, catering to readers of different ages and needs. The evening event, "Building a Foundation with Law, Reading Shines Bright – 2026 Ningbo Night Reading Ceremony & Citywide Shared Reading," will open tonight. The main venue is at the Fuqing Branch of Ningbo Library, linking 32 participating units, including district (county, city) public libraries and some branch libraries, to engage over 600 readers in reading “The Art of Reading” by Nie Zhenning, a renowned author, publisher, and reading studies expert, while simultaneously conducting online shared reading.
In addition, exhibitions such as "Who is Reading VI – The Earth as a Book," "Within the Art After Reading," and "Riding Dreams Among Books – Children's Creative Art Exhibition" remain open. Synchronized thematic book fairs include "Painting the Future with Wisdom, Co-creating with Humans and Machines – AI Empowering Social Life" and "Wisdom Enlightened by Books, Classics Nourishing the Heart," a World Book Day themed book fair. For young readers, engaging activities like "Sprout Buds – Bilingual Early Education" and "World Book Day Special Project – Youth Reading Relay" are available. For readers with disabilities, the "Cloud Integration, Knowledge Empowerment" online quiz for persons with disabilities warmly launches, ensuring the light of reading reaches every corner.
Beyond the municipal library, district (county, city) libraries today are offering 15 special events, integrating regional cultural characteristics through activities like reading sharing sessions, picture book storytelling, and cultural experiences.
The Ningbo Xinhua Bookstore Group, in conjunction with Xinhua Bookstores nationwide, has launched the "Thousands of Cities, Hundreds of Stores Read Good Books" campaign, releasing the annual "Xinhua Bookstore Regular Bestsellers List." The Fenghua Xinhua Bookstore is holding the "Hello! Great Book Gathering" at Fenghua Intime City, using book recommendations and second-hand book exchanges as vehicles to encourage the flow of knowledge. The Sanwei Bookstore on Qiao Dong'an Road in Fenghua is hosting the 13th Sanwei Literature Prize and the 5th Peach Blossom Prize Award Ceremony, discovering outstanding literary works and promising authors to fuel the development of local literature.
According to reports, over ten additional exciting reading events will be launched in Ningbo this weekend. The Ningbo Library will host a special lecture by Nie Zhenning, interpreting "The Art of Reading" based on the "National Reading Promotion Regulations." Events such as "The Way of Harmony" appreciation of Eastern music aesthetics, and "Travel the World with Reading" sharing on Australian themes will also take place. Young readers can participate in interactive activities like "Pages with Light, Youth with Voice" reading open mic, and the "Children's Art Camp · Spring Wind Chime DIY," experiencing the joy of reading through hands-on activities. The Xiangshan Xinhua Bookstore will launch the "Xinhua Reading Companion · Qiangtou Migration Reading Life Festival," moving reading classes into mountain tea gardens, allowing children to get close to books and fall in love with reading amidst natural scenery. Additionally, the Tianxing Book Club will continue its "reading while walking" tradition, organizing over 80 members to visit Luoyang Academy in Huzhou for recitations and cultural excursions, promoting reading through a "reading + walking" approach.
Before World Book Day, the "New Public Literature & Art · Books Promise" series of events served as a warm-up, hosting 7 reading activities in the form of expert sharing, works appreciation, and reading exchanges, which ignited citizens' enthusiasm for reading in advance and created a strong atmosphere for World Book Day.
