Freedom to Read Week is a yearly event that encourages Canadians to think about and reaffirm their commitment to intellectual freedom. As Canadians our right to intellectual freedom is guaranteed under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, but even in Canada these rights sometimes come under fire.
You can get involved by attending an event in your community and learning more about the freedom of expression we often take for granted here. I’ll be attending a free talk this Saturday at Ryerson University in Toronto.
PEN Canada, Amnesty International, and Ryerson University are hosting a discussion with Zarganar, a Burmese comedian and satirist, who is also a former prisoner of conscience and One Humanity Award winner. The event is free to all. You can find out more about the where and when of it here.
My awesome parents, knowing all about my obsession with words, recorded the Empire of the Word documentary series that aired on TVO last month for me. It was developed and narrated by the very impressive Alberto Manguel, author of A History of Reading, The Library at Night, and The City of Words among other titles.
I watched every episode in a single sitting, and I have a hunch you’ll be as fascinated as I was. So brew some tea, get comfy, and follow the links below to the Empire of the Word.
Episode one is called “The Magic of Reading” and explores the origins of the written word and our irrepressible desire to read.
Episode two is titled “Learning to Read” and considers the intellectual triumph of reading from the neurology of the human mind to the education of new readers.
Episode three is called “Forbidden Reading” and investigates the authorities who have tried to ban the creation and consumption of texts as well as the people who fight for our right to read.
Episode four, “The Future of Reading,” speculates about how technology is changing the way we read and asks what will become of bound libraries in the years to come.
If you’re still craving more programming about the wonders of language, check out the BBC’s Why Do We Talk? over at the Lingua Franca blog. When you’re done you’ll want to stick around and read some of the really fun posts you’ll find there.
