The book donation was accepted by Mayor Niko Kyynäräinen and Library Services Director Salla Palmi-Felin. The event also included a music performance by Ukrainian students from Kirkonkylä School.
The Ukrainian Bookshelf project was initiated by the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska. The project has already established over 200 shelves across Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America.
The project is part of an initiative by Olena Zelenska and the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which aims to distribute Ukrainian literature to libraries around the world.
– Literature and reading offer us experiences, skills, and knowledge. Our roots live both in culture and from culture. It is a joy and an honor to receive the book donation and offer the residents of our region the opportunity to get acquainted with Ukrainian-language literature, says Mayor Niko Kyynäräinen.
As a result of the donation, over 40 new Ukrainian-language books are available for loan in Lahti libraries. The material consists mainly of children’s and youth literature, but it also includes literature for adults. It includes fiction and non-fiction books, as well as classics of Ukrainian literature and poetry. In addition, the material includes, for example, some works included in the Ukrainian primary school literature curriculum. There are 350 Ukrainian-language books available for loan in the collections of Lastu libraries.
– We have strived to serve our Ukrainian-speaking customers in a versatile way and in response to their needs. This book donation supports us in this work, and we are very grateful for it, says Library Services Director Salla Palmi-Felin.
More information:
International House Lahti
www.internationalhouselahti.fi
ihl@lahti.fi