Newsletter 24 June 2004

I N T E R N L E A T I O P O N A P E L B O O U N G A R D O N B O O K S F O R Y Nonnenweg 12 Postfach CH-4003 Basel Switzerland Tel. +41 61 272 29 17 Fax +41 61 272 27 57 E-mail: [email protected] Newsletter 24 www.ibby.org June 2004 The Hans Christian Andersen Award Winners 2004 The winners of the 2004 Hans Christian Andersen Martin Waddell Awards areMartin Waddell from Ireland for the Andersen Author Award Winner 2004 Author Award andMax Velthuijs from the This year's Hans Christian Andersen Author Netherlands for the Illustrator Award. The biennial Award winner comes from a country that has a Award remains the highest international long history of division and strife. In the midst of recognition for illustrators and authors of sectarian violence, Martin Waddell's voice has been children's literature and pays homage to their one of tolerance and compassion. In a recent important and lasting contribution to the field interview, he echoes IBBY's mission by saying that IBBY would like to congratulate not only the he has written many books “which feature the winners but also all the other nominees. underlying theme of the fear of strangers, or people who think and act differently and the need IBBY would like to thank both Her Majesty Queen to understand them.” Margrethe II of Denmark, Patron of the Andersen Awards and the Nissan Motor Co., sponsor of the Over the past thirty years, Martin Waddell has programme, for their continued support. been a prolific and versatile writer. He has covered the whole spectrum of children's literature, from Full information about the Award, the nominees, picture books and folk stories to novels on life in jury members and publications can be found on the Northern Ireland's divided communities, to almost IBBY website. musical football stories. All his work is tied together by his sensitive and often humorous tone and by his poetic talent. Jury member Lona Gericke (South Africa) and Andersen Author Award Winner 2004 Martin Waddell Jury President Jeff Garrett (USA) celebrating at the IBBY stand in Bologna Max Velthuijs IBBY in Bologna Andersen Illustrator Award Winner 2004 EC Decisions and Annual Press Conference The Hans Christian Andersen winner for Illustration this year is Dutch nominee, Max As in past years, IBBY hosted its own stand at the Velthuijs. The full body of Velthuijs' work as an Bologna Book Fair. This stand has become a illustrator is fascinating because throughout his showcase for IBBY's many activities and a place forty-year long career, he has toyed with so many where members can meet and exchange news different artistic genres, with different colour and experiences. At the same time, the stand palettes and illustration techniques. Ultimately, his serves as a gathering place for those who are career has been one of constant experimentation interested in learning more about IBBY and and development. He says: “My illustrations used extending their connections within the to be heavier: strong outlines, thick paint. I was international network that IBBY represents. primarily concerned with enjoying painting; that Behind the scenes, Bologna is also the setting of meant that the work was more decorative and the the annual Executive Committee (EC) meeting. characters less important. Since the characters have come increasingly to the fore, I can leave out One of the first items on the agenda was the more and more.” decision by the EC to award Yoko Inokuma an IBBY Honorary Membership in recognition of her The culmination of this progress has come in his long and committed service to IBBY as President well-loved Frog series. All his books however, of JBBY (the Japanese National Section). convey a deep sensitivity to issues of nature and the environment, animals and people. While he New regulations for the IBBY-Asahi Reading bathes his stories in fairytale and humour, he also Promotion Award were accepted and will be deals with serious contemporary issues like racism applied from 2005. Up to and including this year, and death. the Award has been presented annually to one winning project. From 2005 the Award will be given biennially to two groups or institutions that are judged by the Jury to be outstanding. The Executive Committee drew preliminary conclusions emerging from the internal Survey that had been conducted among the National Sections. The forthcoming IBBY Congress in Cape Town will provide a forum for discussion of these. The Executive Committee meeting was the occasion for Kimete Basha, IBBY Executive Director, to announce that she will not be renewing her contract with IBBY. The transition Andersen Award Illustrator Winner 2004 period has been problematic but during her short Max Velthuijs time as Executive Director, Kimete Basha has started several key initiatives and brought IBBY a IBBY Delegation to China and Japan step further in its development. During May, IBBY President Peter Schneck and IBBY Treasurer Urs Breitenstein travelled to China and Patsy Aldana of Groundwood Books, Toronto Japan. Liz Page, IBBY Administrative Director joined presented the fundraising project Under the Spell them in China. of the Moon. The publishing house will publish an illustrated picture book that celebrates art from Peter Schneck has made the creation of personal around the world created for children. The first contact between the international organization and edition will be launched at IBBY Congress in Cape the National Sections one of his priorities. This trip Town. The National Sections are asked to identify was also the occasion to prepare for the 30th IBBY potential co-edition partners around the world. Congress in Beijing in September 2006. In China, the IBBY delegation visited Beijing, Guilin The annual IBBY press conference is the occasion and Shanghai. In Beijing they were welcomed by Hai to keep the wider public aware of these advances Fei, President of CBBY and Director of the Children's and of other key IBBY news. This year the Publishing Branch of China's Publishers Association. attentive audience listened as Vangelis Iliopoulos It was also an opportunity to meet the Chairman of read the International Children's Book Day the Publishers Association of China, Yu Youxian and message for 2004 in melodious Greek and to Lona the Person-in-Charge of the All-China Youth Gericke as she provided an encouraging report Federation, Zhang Xiaolan. In Guilin, Li Yuan Jun, Vice about the programme for the Cape Town President of CBBY and President of Jieli Publishing Congress. The audience was also introduced to House welcomed the delegation and accompanied one of the newBookbird editors Valerie them on a tour of the scenic area. Director and Chief Coghlan, who together with Siobhán Parkinson will Editor of the oldest children's publishing house in take over from long-term editors Evelyn China, the Juvenile and Children's Publishing House, Freeman, Barbara Lehman, Lilia Ratcheva Zhiu Sun Pei, also a Vice President of CBBY hosted the Stratieva and Patricia Scharer in January 2005. group in Shanghai. Accompanying the delegation The announcement of the 2004 Hans Christian throughout the visit were Liu Haiqi President and Andersen Award winners was reserved until last – Chief Editor of Tomorrow Publishing House and Vice Martin Waddell and Max Velthuijs for the author President of CBBY, Ma Weidong Secretary General of and illustrator award respectively. CBBY, Huang Jianbin IBBY EC member and Editor-in- Chief of the Fujian Children's Publishing House and Zhang Mingzhou Deputy Secretary General of CBBY and Congress 2006 Coordinator. IBBY press conference in Bologna Welcome in Beijing by members of CBBY from left: From left: Lona Gericke, Valerie Coghlan, Jeff Garrett, Zhang Mingzhou, Liz Page, Hai Fei, Peter Schneck, Yu Peter Schneck, Vangelis Iliopoulos, Kimete Basha, Eva Youxian, Urs Breitenstein, Chen Haiyan, Liu Haiqi Kaliskami After the visit to China, Peter Schneck and Urs The initiative was developed to give young people Breitenstein flew onto Tokyo. During the JBBY with disabilities, like other children, the opportunity Annual General Meeting Peter Schneck presented to enjoy books and so open the way for their Yoko Inokuma with Honorary Membership for her inclusion in society. The project aims to compile a long service to JBBY and IBBY. As well as meeting general overview of quality books for these JBBY President Kuniko Kameda, EC member Chieko children, to inform about such books internationally Suemori and other members of JBBY, the delegation and to make them more readily available. As such, visited the National Diet Library, the International it makes the most of the international network Library of Children's Literature (Branch of the within IBBY. Another underlying objective is the National Diet Library), and the home of former promotion of books that emphasize similarities IBBY President Tayo Shima. The trip to Japan was between children and thus encourage tolerance. also the occasion to meet with and thank the generous sponsors: Takagi Toshiyuki Director of the National Sections are invited to suggest titles to be Cultural Projects Division of The Asahi Shimbun, included in the catalogue and exhibition and to and Kyoko Shimada the General Manager of Nissan direct them to: Motor Co., who support the IBBY-Asahi Reading Ms. Heidi Boiesen Promotion Award and the Hans Christian Andersen Bærum Municipality Awards respectively. The delegation was received Haug School and Resource Centre at the palace and had the opportunity to inform NO - 1304 Sandvika, Norway Empress Michiko of Japan of current developments E-mail: [email protected] in IBBY. Highlight on CBBY In April, in celebration of the International Children's Book Day, CBBY donated about 2,500 books to the elementary school of the Gaoli Village in the Henan Province.

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