Exhibition tells rural China's reading stories to the world

OTTAWA — An exhibition titled Listening to Young Readers: Voices from Rural China opened in Ottawa, Canada, on Wednesday, offering international visitors a vivid look at how literature and art are transforming the lives of children in rural China.

Through photographs, videos and original publications, including a selection of contemporary Chinese picture books, the exhibition showcased China's efforts to promote reading in rural communities and expand access to public cultural services.

The exhibition also featured a "book-drifting" program that has delivered books to over 80,000 children in rural China across 20 provinces since its launch in April 2025, helping fulfill their reading wishes. Nearly 100 wish cards handwritten by the children were displayed at the venue.

At the opening ceremony, President of the International Board on Books for Young People Basarat Kazim reflected on her early connection with Chinese art and the universal power of visual storytelling.

"Illustrations have a language of their own. They cross borders without a passport and speak to the heart before the mind," Kazim said. "In a world that so often speaks loudly, they remind us that the gentlest voices are sometimes the ones that stay with us the longest."

The event also highlighted the story of Chinese illustrator Cai Gao, winner of the 2026 Hans Christian Andersen Award. Cai shared how teaching in a village in Central China's Hunan province shaped her artistic vision and strengthened her lifelong commitment to children's reading.

"Art is warm and powerful only when it is deeply rooted in real life," Cai said. "Rural reading connects people with nature and childhood innocence."

Held as an official event of the 40th IBBY World Congress, the exhibition was jointly hosted by the National Press and Publication Administration of China and the Chinese Board on Books for Young People.

XINHUA