The 2009 Indigenous Literacy Project was launched in Sydney at Customs House on Tuesday May 26. Attendees included ILP Patron Thérèse Rein and Ambassadors David Malouf, Dr Anita Heiss, Kate Grenville and Andy Griffiths.  More. 

Images courtesy of Prudence Upton.

The Indigenous Literacy Project (ILP) is a partnership between the Australian Book Industry and The Fred Hollows Foundation that raises funds to purchase and supply books and other culturally appropiate material to remote communities where The Foundation works.

We started in 2004 with a simple question:  What could we do to help address the current literacy crisis in remote Indigenous communities.  We were deeply concerned that illiteracy in many of these communities was a common and critical barrier to the kind of full, healthy and happy life many of us take for granted. 

More simply we couldn’t imagine a world without books and reading.  More

The third Indigenous Literacy Day will be held on Wednesday September 2 2009.  

In 2009 in conjunction with our partner, The Fred Hollows Foundation, we are hoping to raise $250,000 to provide books and literacy resources for remote Indigenous communities.  On that day participating bookshops, publishers and businesses will donate a percentage of their sales (or make a donation) while schools hold fundraising activities.  We invite everyone to get involved by purchasing a book from participating bookshops on September 2 or making a donation.  Events will be held across Australia leading up to and on the day including the first Great Book Swap. 

The monies raised will provide books and literacy resources in homes, community centres, womens' centres, schools, health centres in the Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia.

If you'd like to be kept informed about what's happening please register your email with the Indigenous Literacy Project.