so I've decided to share my lunch box with you :)

I’m hoping to post here my opinion on different issues that catch my attention, and share them with people who are interested in these topics thus creating a space for the exchange of points of views and thoughts.

To start, I’ll share the comment I posted on Paul Klein’s “What’s your CSR moment of the week?” I wrote about Banco del Libro and I started out with a little bit of backgroung info:

Banco del Libro (Bank of Books in English) is a non-profit organization here in Venezuela that is dedicated to promoting the importance of reading among children as a mechanism to impact positively in the social development of our country. Personally, I find this to be my favorite cause and my favorite non-profit organization. I used to work there and it was one of the best experiences of my life.

While I was there I participated in the Book Evaluation Committee. This is a group of people formed by authors, illustrators, teachers and children book’s lovers, like myself, that meets twice a week to evaluate children books from all over the world (translated to Spanish). Editorials send them specifically to Banco del Libro for this purpose. Many of these books aren’t even in bookstores in Venezuela (which is a shame), just in Banco del Libro.

The evaluation process has 3 categories: Nominated, Recommended and not recommended. Those who are nominated throughout the year then go to a special jury, also formed by authors and illustrators with literature specialists like editorial directors and members of other literary institutions. This jury chooses the best books for children and youth. So, every April awards are given to this selection of books from all over the world, and an exhibit is made with all the nominees and the winners.

My CSR moment of the week was just last night when I attended the award celebration in Banco del Libro. Books that I nominated were on the exhibit and, on the catalogue with the details of each book, my reviews of those I nominated were there with my name on it! It made me feel so proud and so good to be a part of this important process to select the best books for children who are growing to be the citizens of the world. These books are now the selection that will be recommended for children’s libraries and schools in order to educate, through the culture of reading, the future of our nations.

So this was my answer to Paul’s question “What’s your CSR moment of the week?” On my next post I’ll share details on the award and the winners of this year.

Cheers!