The campaign, known as “Turkey Reads,” is the initiative of President Abdullah Gül, with its implementation assigned to the Culture and Tourism Ministry and the Education Ministry. The project has three goals: to increase literacy rates among children and adults, to promote reading as a regular habit and to increase the number of people with basic computer knowledge.Statistics shows that most Turks do not read on a regular basis. In fact, the average Turk spends only $10 a year on books. According to the United Nations 2007 Human Development Report, Turkey ranks 101st among 177 countries for its level of adult literacy. While Turks spend an average of five hours a day watching television, they devote only six hours in an entire year to reading. Furthermore, only 4.5 percent of the population reported that they are regular readers.
In order to improve these statistics Gül in March instructed all relevant institutions to come up with their own suggestions to promote reading. Gül’s wife, Hayrünnisa, is involved in a separate but related campaign called “Talking Books” in which popular singers, soccer players, journalists and writers read books to children.
As part of the Turkey Reads campaign, primary and secondary-school students are being encouraged to get library cards, reading contests are being organized and more focus is being placed on reading to children in preschool and daycare programs.
In Trabzon local administrators have come up with their own campaign, called “Reading is Everywhere.” To set a good example, officials there have pledged to read for at least 20 minutes every day. Also, books have been placed for commuters on minibuses running on the popular route between the Trabzon city center and Çarşıbaşı district. Süleyman Özçakıcı, the district governor of Çarşıbaşı, noted that there are 50 minibuses on this route, which takes 45 minutes, and in each minibus there are 15 books that have been provided by the district governorate.
“In order to read the rest of the book some passengers have started to schedule their trips so that they can catch the same minibus. We are hoping that the people who are reading books on the minibuses will make this activity a habit,” Özçakıcı said.
A similar project is being carried out in Adana, but, in addition to minibuses, books have also been strategically placed in parks, hospitals and trains. The Governorate of Adana is also seeking volunteers to read books to senior citizens in rest homes to fulfill Gül’s stipulation that the campaign utilize volunteers and civil society organizations.
As part of the campaign most districts have created reading corners in local cafes; but in the Daday district in the Black Sea province of Kastamonu, officials have gone a step further, setting up a free book delivery system at the library. People merely have to call the library and tell the librarian which books they would like, following which the books are delivered right to their door.
Some judges have also gotten into the act by ordering minor offenders to read books. Murat Şenol Demirci, who was convicted for firing shots into the air at a celebration of his friend’s enlistment, was sentenced to reading four books every month for one year.
“It was a punishment, but I enjoy reading books; I will continue to read after I finish my sentence,” Demirci noted.
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