UniFiji delighted with numbers for Recreational Reading in the Park National Campaign

UniFiji delighted with numbers for Recreational Reading in the Park National Campaign

By Alipate Narawa
Sunday 26/01/2025

The University of Fiji has expressed delight at the number of book lovers who joined others in municipal parks around the country for the first day of the Recreational Reading in the Park National Campaign yesterday afternoon.

UniFiji Vice Chancellor Professor Shaista Shameem says while they were worried that no one would turn up for the campaign due to its novelty, a surprising number came to the designated parks with their books, water bottles, mats and cushions to read their novels quietly in the company of others.

Professor Shameem says the event showed that there are many bookworms in Fiji who love the idea of reading in public parks with other like-minded people.

She acknowledged the collaboration between the University of Fiji and Ministry of Local Government, along with municipal councils' active support by identifying appropriate reading spaces, provided an opportunity for bookworms to lend their weight to the national reading campaign by turning up in numbers with their mats and books to just read in peace and quiet for a couple of hours.

The Vice Chancellor says the campaign will continue every Saturday afternoon as an ongoing collaboration between local government and the University.

She says the stamp of approval for the collaboration was granted by the Director of Local Government Bindula Devi at the launch of the initiative on UN World Education Day, on Friday at the University's Samabula Campus.

Professor Shameem says the university was intending to work more closely with local government in future because that was where the civic spirit and pride was strongest.

She says local government was where the recreational reading in the park campaign would be most appreciated due to municipal councils' responsibility for maintaining public parks.

The Vice Chancellor says the importance of the national reading campaign to Fiji lies in the connection between reading and thinking.

She says a nation of readers is also a nation of thinkers because knowledge lies in books and without that knowledge, a nation's educational capacity and cultural capital are fundamentally limited.

The Vice Chancellor says hence, UniFiji and Local Government Recreational Reading in the Park National Campaign was designed to start a reading revolution and assist with developing Fijians to their full human potential.

FEATURE NEWS
FCEF tells Minister it will not endorse the draft Employment Relations Bill in its current form
The Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation has informed the Minister for Employment, Productivity and Workplace Relations, Agni Deo Singh, that their ...
35 minutes ago
LATEST NEWS
Electoral Reform consultation will be people's first step in democracy - Fatiaki
The Electoral Reform consultation will be people’s first genuine attempt to participate in democracy and people should turn up, and speak to ...
20 minutes ago

Those attempting to destroy religious tolerance will have no place in this country – Prof. Prasad
All those in the minority who may be inadvertently, in any way, trying to destroy tolerance, will not have a place in this society, country, and in ...
2 hours ago

Govt does not condone sacrilege, will investigate the matter – PM
Fiji is a home of faiths and traditions, stronger together united by mutual respect and the government does not condone such action and will ...
2 hours ago

Chaudhry condemns desecration of Holy Ramayan at Vunicuicui Mandir
Fiji Labour Party Leader Mahendra Chaudhry has strongly denounced the act of sacrilege which led to the desecration of the Holy Ramayan at the ...
2 hours ago

Legislation related to autism should be reviewed – UniFiji
Existing legislation and policies related to persons living with autism should be reviewed to ensure they uphold equality, non-discrimination and ...
3 hours ago



fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan
Latest Videos

Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations

CFL radio frequencies
IN DEPTH
Swire Shipping Fijian Drua Coach, Glen Jackson appear on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay Narayan
Swire Shipping Fijian Drua Coach, Glen Jackson appeared on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay Narayan from the Drua base in Nadi. Coming off ...
1 day ago

Reverend Tugi on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay Narayan
Watch the General Secretary of Fiji Evangelical Fellowship, Reverend Simione Tugi on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay ...
36 days ago

fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan and William Parkinson
Chairman of Communications Fiji Limited, parent company of FM96, LegendFM, VitiFM, Navtarang, Radio Sargam, fijivillage and PNGFM, William Parkinson ...
37 days ago

TOP