The Centrum české dětské knihy (Czech Children's Book Centre) (CČDK), a project of the Knižní stezka k dětem (Book Trail for Children Association), started its operation on the 15th of September 2022 at Jánský vrch 5 below Prague Castle. On Thursday, the 3rd of November 2022, it will hold a conference to officially launch its activities. The aim of the CČDK is to promote children's artistic creation and children's reading.
The opening conference, whose motto is Literature for Children as an Anchor in a Fluid Age, will offer lectures by several experts in literature for children and youth who will examine the state of the current literary scene. Among them are Zdeněk Freisleben (Museum of Literature), Jana Čeňková (FSV UK), Svein Størksen (Norwegian publishing house Magikon), Julie Dominika Zemanová (Mravenčí chůva/Ant Nanny), Jitka Jindřišková (Scandinavian House), Petr Eliáš (Zlatá stuha/Golden Ribbon) and Veronika Benešová Hudečková (2 veverky/2 squirrels). The conference will take place at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway (Hellichova 1, Malá Strana) on the 3rd of November 2022 from 15 to 18 o’clock.
CČDK is a project of the Knižní stezka k dětem (Book Trail to Children Association), which this year is organizing the 13th year of literary festival Children, Do You Read?!The association tries to promote children's reading and also publishes a unique teaching methodology called Reading Lectures. The establishment of CČDK was therefore a natural next step. The founder of the Knižní stezka k dětem (Book Trails to Children Association) and publisher Ivana Pecháčková, who together with her colleagues implemented her idea this year thanks to the EEA Grants, is at the heart of the birth of the new Czech institution, following the example of the Bratislava-based BIBIANA organisation. The mission of the CČDK is to support children's reading, literacy and artistic activities.
The activities of the CČDK will include writing and illustration workshops for children and adults, exhibitions, book launches and other activities supporting especially children's reading. On the basis of the workshops, among other things, a new strategy for working with children's audiences will be developed. Although the CČDK is a project of the Knižní stezka k dětem (Book Trail to Children Association), it is not only about presenting its own work; other Czech publishing houses dealing with quality work for children and young people are already involved in the activities.
Since the spaces of the CČDK also include an notional exhibition hall, exhibitions of Czech artists, especially those who illustrate books for young readers, will be held here regularly. The exhibition plan includes names such as Petr Nikl, Jakub Grec, Jiří Sopko and Martina Trchová.
The project is supported by the EEA Grants 2014-2021 under the Culture Programme. CČDK also received the patronage of the Minister of Culture Martin Baxa.