2026 World Read Aloud Day Webinar
The first Wednesday of every February is designated as “World Read Aloud Day”, an initiative dedicated to promoting literacy and fostering community engagement. The 2026 World Read Aloud Day, themed “Celebrate Learning”, seeks to strengthen connections through shared reading experiences and advocate for increased global literacy rates. The Day highlights the significance and advantages of reading aloud as a means to foster literacy, which contributes to long-term personal growth and achievement for children. Reading aloud supports the development of essential neural pathways associated with both emotional health and academic performance. It also promotes the sharing of stories and fosters a sustained interest in reading, serving as an effective tool for advancing social change and supporting psychological well-being
AfLIA’s theme for the 2026 Read Aloud Day is: “Reading in the Balance: Exploring the Role of Public Libraries in the Science of Reading” on Thursday, 5th February 2026. The webinar is expected to examine how public libraries contribute to reading development through the lens of the science of reading, and why balanced, evidence-based approaches are essential for lifelong literacy.
Theme: “Reading in the Balance: Exploring the Role of Public Libraries in the Science of Reading”
The 2nd Presentation, titled “Librarians – Preparing Learners for the Future”, intends to guide librarians on how to select diverse and inclusive books that reflect their community. The session will explore how librarians can intentionally build collections that celebrate diversity, promote inclusion, and ensure learners see themselves reflected in the stories they read
Date – Thursday, 5th February 2026
Time – 11.00 UTC | 12.00 WAT | 13.00 CAT/SAST | 14.00 EAT
Target Audience:
This training is ideal for:
- African public and community library staff and volunteers.
- All who are involved in promoting and facilitating reading culture in different African countries.
Registration
Click button to register. Kindly note that once you register, you will receive reminders about the event.
Speakers
Professor Ruth Hoskins
School of Social Sciences,
University of KwaZulu-Natal, BA, AUDIS, BProc, BBibl Hons, MIS (Natal), PHD (UKZN).
Leadership Role Dean: Teaching & Learning.
Pontso Nothemba Ngubane
Marketing Officer, Shutter and Shooters Publications.
Bachelor of Commerce, University of KwaZulu-Natal. Secondary Teachers Diploma at the Indumiso College of Education.
Technical requirements
Upon registration, reminders will be sent to all registrants periodically. This webinar will be hosted on Zoom Conferencing Platform. Participants, who do not have Zoom on their mobile devices and or computers, need to download, install and create an account on Zoom ahead of time (CLICK TO DOWNLOAD). Webinar attendees are encouraged to join early, preferably 15 minutes before the start of the webinar, as one may need time launch the application. The speaker will use a webcam to connect with attendees. Audio and video for the session will be streamed over computer speakers. Attendees are therefore encouraged to connect with a headset or earpiece for maximum utility.
Webinar materials
A list of resources and further information will made be available at the end of the webinar, to enable thorough engagement with the webinar content. All registrants will have access to the presentation slides. The webinar recording will be uploaded on AfLIA YouTube Channel soon after the webinar to facilitate continuous engagement with the webinar content by webinar attendees and non-attendees. Please note that this webinar will not involve certificate of participation.
Enquiries
For further enquiries and any assistance relating to the webinar, contact us at afliacomm@aflia.net.