Bridging global vision and local action: SYSU highlights the UNESCO-IFLA School Library Manifesto in Gaozhou

On April 24, the School of Information Management of Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU), as one of the principal organizers, successfully co-hosted the event titled Construction of the Rural School Library Demonstration Site and Seminar on the UNESCO-IFLA School Library Manifesto at Baiqiao Primary School in Gaozhou City. Nearly 300 participants attended the event, including leaders and representatives from the organizing, co-organizing, and supporting institutions; members of Sun SYSU's Double Hundred Initiative (pairing higher education institutions with counties) service team stationed in Gaozhou; librarians from Maoming's municipal and county libraries; principals from primary and secondary schools in Gaozhou; as well as teachers and students from Baiqiao Primary School.

Group photo of the event

The event attracted significant attention from international professional organizations and experts. Professor Luisa Marquardt, President of the IFLA School Libraries Section (IFLA-SLC), and Professor Jennifer Branch-Mueller, President of the International Association of School Librarianship (IASL) and faculty member at the University of Alberta, Canada, sent congratulatory messages. In her letter, Professor Marquardt stated, "This event will contribute meaningfully to the improvement of rural school libraries in China and promote quality learning for all." Professor Branch-Mueller emphasized, "We are confident that your efforts will not only benefit the students and educators in Gaozhou but will also serve as an inspiring example for other regions in China and beyond." The congratulatory letters were read on-site by Professor Zhang Jing, Director of the Joint Base for the Study and Promotion of Reading for All and a member of the IFLA-SLC.

Letter of congratulations from Professor Luisa Marquardt

Letter of congratulations from Professor Jennifer Branch-Mueller

As part of the "Professors on Campus" program during the event, Professor Cheng Huanwen, Director of the National Institute of Cultural Heritage and Cultural Development at SYSU, delivered a popular academic lecture entitled "Developing Reading Habits and Building a Bookish Campus." Addressing students of all grade levels at Baiqiao Primary School, Professor Cheng highlighted the significance of reading from three perspectives: inspiring the mind and nurturing vitality, forming reading habits to support joyful and healthy growth, and cultivating their love for reading to foster a bookish campus atmosphere. Drawing upon historical anecdotes and quotations, he underscored the profound impact of reading on knowledge acquisition and personal development.

Academic Presentation by Prof Cheng Huanwen, Sun Yat-sen University

In a timely alignment with international developments, the event also responded to the adoption of the newly revised UNESCO-IFLA School Library Manifesto (2025) by the 13th Session of the Intergovernmental Council for UNESCO's Information for All Programme (IFAP), held in Paris from April 23 to 24, 2025. This occasion marked the first academic presentation of the new Manifesto globally. Professor Zhang Jing, Vice President of the National Institute of Cultural Heritage and Cultural Development at SYSU and Director of the Joint Base for the Study and Promotion of Reading for All, delivered an academic report entitled "School Libraries in International Perspective: Centering on the UNESCO-IFLA School Library Manifesto." Her report examined the role of school libraries from an international standpoint, focusing on three key dimensions: the policies and initiatives of international organizations, the core concepts and essential conditions outlined in the Manifesto, and the role and fundamental responsibilities of school libraries in advancing inclusive and equitable education.

Academic presentation by Prof Zhang Jing, Sun Yat-sen University

This event represented the world's first academic presentation of the newly revised UNESCO-IFLA School Library Manifesto (2025), achieving a significant breakthrough in synchronizing with international professional developments. By aligning with UNESCO’s latest initiatives and introducing the new Manifesto on a global scale, the event demonstrated SYSU’s proactive engagement with international discourse on school library development. The event not only promoted the construction and development of rural school libraries but also contributed to the academic dissemination of international professional standards and the deep integration of global perspectives into local educational practices. The successful hosting of this inaugural presentation not only positioned the rural school library project within an international framework but also enhanced the visibility and influence of China's practices in the global field of school librarianship.