First US Teen on Nobel Laureate-Awarded Shortlist for International Children’s Peace Prize - Recognized for Her African Literacy Work
California teen Tatiana Grossman is America's first Nobel Laureate awarded International Children's Peace Prize finalist. Tatiana was nominated for her work creating libraries in three African nations and advocating for early literacy.
Palo Alto, CA (PRWEB) November 16, 2010
For the first time, a child from the United States has been named one of four finalists for the prestigious International Children's Peace Prize. The selection of Tatiana Grossman, a 15 year old from Palo Alto, California, two children from Africa and a child from the Dominican Republic was announced Saturday before an audience of Nobel Peace PrizeLaureates attending their 11th World Summit in Hiroshima, Japan.
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Rigoberta Menchu Tum will bestow the Children’s Peace Prize upon one of the four finalists whose remarkable efforts have most improved the lives of vulnerable children around the world. An initiative of the Amsterdam-based KidsRights Foundation, the prize will be awarded on November 29th in The Hague, the Netherlands, after the World Summit’s conclusion.
Tatiana just received word that she was awarded one of the coveted finalist spots for her work helping African nations in their push toward children’s literacy. Stunned to learn that as many as three out of four children in some sub-Saharan nations never learn to read, in three years Tatiana has influenced African government literacy policy, helped establish libraries serving 78 schools and villages in three African nations, become a role model for thousands of sub-Saharan African children who want to read, and spoken with thousands of children and adults in the United States and Africa, including dignitaries, educators and students from five nations at the Botswana Ministry of Education’s inaugural International Literacy and Learning Conference.
“Tatiana is kind beyond her years, with passion, vision, integrity, intelligence and respect,” said Olga Tsimanyane, Principal Officer in Botswana’s Ministry of Education who invited Tatiana to be one of the conference’s keynote speakers. “Before Tatiana arrived in Botswana, we were a developing country. Because of the motivation for reading Tatiana instilled in so many Batswana children when she visited, our government committed to building new libraries in primary schools. Books have changed my country tremendously.”
To accelerate her efforts, Tatiana started Spread the Words, a project to inspire other children to create libraries, offering suggestions on how to stay connected with and support the libraries they’ve created. Spread the Words also has taken on a challenge that has daunted many adults - finding a cost-effective way to deliver digital textbooks to third world classrooms that lack computers and, often, reliable electricity. Solving this digital challenge will get much-needed teaching materials to those classrooms quickly, avoiding the substantial cost associated with collecting and shipping traditional, often heavy, textbooks overseas.
“Just being nominated is such a surprise and honor,” Grossman said. “I hope that others who learn about my work will collect books and support literacy as I have. Books are so important to the children and communities which receive them. They change lives, generation after generation.”
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, one of the early International Children’s Peace Prize presenters, praises the Peace Prize and its selection committee, which includes United Nations representatives, for giving passionate children an international platform and a “voice to the utterly voiceless.”
Prior International Children’s Peace Prize child finalists have done impressive and important work, from helping save children from slavery and HIV/AIDS isolation to staging protests in war-torn countries where even the meekest are subject to violent retribution. Now, with Tatiana’s nomination, an honoree will have provided essential learning tools impoverished countries need to rise out of poverty.
Chris Bradshaw, the founder and president of the African Library Project, nominated Tatiana for the prize. Tatiana has been working very closely with the African Library Project, which helps Americans start libraries with African partners.
This year’s International Children’s Peace Prize winner will be honored with a €100,000 ($140,000 US) donation made by the KidsRights Foundation to projects closely connected to the winner’s area of work.
International Children’s Peace Prize
The International Children’s Peace Prize, an initiative started by the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Committee and the Dutch charity organization KidsRights, honors exceptional children between the ages of 12 and 18 who devote themselves to children’s rights and make a difference in the lives of vulnerable children. http://www. childrenspeaceprize. org
Contact: Ellen Vroonhof ( +31 (0)20-343 5313, info@childrenspeaceprize. org)
KidsRights Foundation
The KidsRights Foundation is an international children's aid and advocacy organization based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands which offers a platform to children usually unable to attract the eyes and ears of the world. The organization supports and empowers vulnerable children by raising awareness of children’s rights internationally and funds small-scale projects. http://www. kidsrights. nl
Contact: (+31 (0)20 343 5313, info@kidsrights. nl)
Spread the Words
Spread the Words is a US-based non-profit organization started by 15 year old Tatiana Grossman which works to increase literacy around the world by helping children create school libraries, support the libraries they've started, and bring digital curriculum, textbooks and resources to schools that need them. http://www. spreadthewords. us
Contact: (US 650 326 4060, SpreadTheWords@yahoo. com)
African Library Project
The African Library Project matches schools and organizations in the United States with African communities to create libraries so U. S. children can donate their books and share the gift of reading with children in Africa. Books are collected in the U. S. through book drives and shipped by volunteers directly to the communities requesting them. http://www. africanlibraryproject. org
Contact: Chris Bradshaw (US 650 851 3640, chris@africanlibraryproject. org)
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