Paju City Successfully Holds 'Reading Nation Proclamation Ceremony'... "Opening the Future with Books in the AI Era"

Proclaiming a Hub for the Expansion of Korea's Reading Culture

On March 11, Paju City held the "Paju Reading Nation Proclamation Ceremony" at the Wisdom Forest auditorium in Paju Book City, attended by approximately 200 citizens and related personnel from libraries, education, and publishing.

Paju City held the 'Paju City Reading Nation Proclamation Ceremony' on the 11th at the Wisdom Forest Conference Hall in Paju Book City, attended by more than 200 people including citizens and officials from libraries, education, and publishing sectors. Provided by Paju City

This proclamation ceremony was organized in line with the purpose of the "Reading Nation Proclamation Ceremony and Reading Nation Promotion Committee Inauguration" held at the National Assembly Members' Hall in January. It was planned as part of an active effort to participate in the nationwide transformation of reading education in response to the artificial intelligence (AI) era. In particular, by holding the event at Paju Book City, which has led the publishing and cultural industry in Korea, Paju once again reaffirmed its status as the "City of Books."

During the ceremony, a declaration was announced that included the following points: spreading reading culture across all generations; establishing a sustainable reading ecosystem where schools, libraries, households, and local communities work together; strengthening the foundation for a virtuous cycle of respect for the publishing and cultural industries, as well as knowledge and content; realizing a civil society enriched by attentive listening and discussion; and preparing for the future through reading.

The following large-scale calligraphy demonstration symbolically expressed Paju's commitment to becoming a reading nation, drawing enthusiastic applause from the attendees. Citizens continued to visit the venue to reflect on the meaning of the proclamation, confirming the community's strong interest in and shared commitment to reading.

Park Joon, co-chair of the National Assembly Reading Nation Promotion Committee and a writer often referred to as an 'idol' in the literary world, delivered a lecture on the theme of "A Day of Reading." He emphasized, "The more rapidly the world changes, the more important it becomes to read deeply and to cultivate the power of reflection," and conveyed that reading is a driving force that brings about not only personal growth but also societal change.

Im Bongseong, director of the Central Library, stated, "This Reading Nation Proclamation Ceremony is not just a declaration; it marks the starting point for actions that will ensure reading naturally takes root in citizens' daily lives. We will actively support the creation of a city where everyone, from children to seniors, reads and grows together."

Meanwhile, Paju City plans to use this proclamation as an opportunity to expand citizen-participatory reading programs, strengthen customized reading education tailored to each stage of life, and promote cultural projects in partnership with local publishers and bookstores. Through these efforts, the city aims to implement a variety of policies to realize the vision of a "Reading Nation."

Attention is focused on whether Paju's commitment to moving beyond a "City of Reading" to becoming a "Reading Nation" will serve as a new model for the promotion of reading culture in Korea in the AI era.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.