I had a poignant experience on a recent trip to the South Pacific that helped me remember the boundless importance of literacy. My wife and I planned a vacation that included a stop in New Zealand. We had been advised to visit Rotorua, a city known for its thermal pools and mineral baths. We arrived later in the evening and decided to take a leisurely walk through what was called the “Government Gardens”. As we approached the entrance to the park we began to notice that there was a large group of people, tents, and noise up ahead. This was surprising as it was already dark and we didn’t expect to see such a large gathering at that time of night. It was obvious that there was a community event of some sort that was just getting started. We stopped and listened for awhile and were excited to learn that it was a community reading fair. Parents, children, senior citizens, people of all walks of life had come together that evening to celebrate literacy. They had set up tents and other structures around the park where participants could go to hear storytellers or read on their own. It was thrilling to feel the energy and passion for literacy that was demonstrated by those wonderful citizens on the other side of the world.
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