Reading Ambassadors 2016

The Children's Book and Film Festival in Hafnarfjörður officially begins tomorrow. This new cultural festival, which runs for one week, is being held for the first time and will feature a focus on books and films, as well as creative and entertaining activities related to both. At the opening ceremony of the week, the 2016 Reading Ambassadors of Hafnarfjörður will be introduced, individuals drawn from the ranks of outstanding local role models.

The Reading Ambassadors of Hafnarfjörður will be introduced at a special opening ceremony of the Hafnarfjörður Book and Film Festival at the Bæjarbíó on Tuesday, 16 February at 10:30. Around 150 children aged 4-7, along with other guests, will attend the opening ceremony. At the opening ceremony, the reading ambassadors will, among other things, read pages from their favourite children's book and chat with the children, and guests will also be invited to watch a fun film aimed at the youngest age group. Throughout this year, the Reading Ambassadors of Hafnarfjörður will be the face of reading and literacy in the town, serving as role models and motivation for Hafnarfjörður's children to make progress and succeed in their reading.

Integration with school activities, leisure activities and family life

The aim of the new Children's Book and Film Festival is to further encourage children's interest in reading and literacy in a broad sense, and the festival will support the literacy project for the town's nursery and primary schools that has been running for the past few terms. The festival is held in close collaboration between the City of Hafnarfjörður and the Hafnarfjörður Public Library, its primary and nursery schools, Hafnarborg, the Bæjarbíó cinema, the Fjör shopping centre, and other partners. The festival's stated aim is to encourage children of all ages and their parents to actively participate in constructive and interesting literacy and cultural projects and events during the festival. This is the first time such a festival has been held in Hafnarfjörður, and it is hoped that it will become an annual festival where children, books and film are in the spotlight. In the town's nurseries, there will be a strong emphasis on books, stories, reading and listening during these days. The finals of the Great Reading Competition will be held in the town's primary schools, where parents of Year 7 pupils are invited to listen to the reading and presentation skills of the students. In addition, some schools will be offering cinema screenings in their halls. Daily screenings will be available at the town's cinema, and a children's book swap market will be held on Saturday, 21st February at the Firði Shopping Centre.

An exhibition of Ragnhildur Jóhannsdóttir's work is currently on display at Hafnarborg. In her work, Ragnhildur focuses on language, seeking to create visual poems in the form of sculptures, collages and drawings. School groups at nursery and primary school level can book a special visit and receive a guided tour of the exhibition. The Hafnarfjörður Museum of Local History invites school groups to visit on weekdays for a special exhibition on the history of cinemas in Hafnarfjörður and the museum's other permanent exhibitions. Booking is through the Folk Museum. At the Hafnarfjörður Library, a varied programme will be running throughout:

• Poems of young people. National poetry writing competition for pupils in years 4-10
• SMS flash fiction competition. The theme of the competition is „reading“. Send a 35-word micro-story to #6960035 by 21 February. 
• Lending game. Parents of children of preschool and primary school age receive a discount on a new library card.
• Let's write a story together. A story written with your participation on wrapping paper in the children's section of the library.
• Don't judge the book by the film. A book exhibition on books and the films made from them
• Story time or a museum presentation – open to nursery and primary school groups

Free admission to all festival events!