Launching Great Book Swap at the International Grammar School

The ILF is excited to announce that our biggest fundraising event, the 2022 Great Book Swap officially launched at The International Grammar School on 15 March. Joined by more than 60 excited year five students and teachers, the launch took place in the school’s state of the art library and started with an Acknowledgement of Country by two students, one in Wiradjuri language and the other in English.

^{Image by Joseph Mayers.}

Wiradjuri astrophysicist and ILF Ambassador Kirsten Banks said:
“Reading and learning is a right for everyone to have and unfortunately that’s not something that everyone in this country has but what the ILF is doing is making this a possibility, especially for Mob in Community.” 

^{Image by Joseph Mayers.}

Kirsten Banks shared how reading as a child opened her universe to learning. She is currently undertaking a PhD which involves studying ancient stars of the Milky Way galaxy in order to piece together the long cosmic history of our Galaxy and is a TikTok sensation, posting short educational videos on social media. 

The noise intensified once the Great Book Swap began, as kids explored the table for a book to take home, while dropping a gold coin in the can. 


^{Image by Joseph Mayers.}

We were thrilled to host the Great Book Swap in our Bibliothèque," said International Grammar School (IGS) Principal Shauna Colnan. 

"Our Indigenous scholars and other students loved welcoming our Indigenous Literacy Foundation and NITV visitors, and couldn't wait to donate their gold coins and swap books.”

^{Image by Joseph Mayers.}

"One student suggested every school should hold this event every day!".

As a thank you to the IGS for hosting the launch, ILF CEO Ben Bowen gifted the school library three recently ILF published graphic novels, created by young Aboriginal authors and artists from Mparntwe (Alice Springs, Northern Territory). 

^{Image by Joseph Mayers.}

Find out more about The Great Book Swap at www.greatbookswap.org.au.

Host your Swap and send it your donations by 30 June and go into the draw to win a virtual classroom visit by one of Australia’s favourite authors, Andy Griffiths! 

• Posted 19 March, 2022