Only reading can develop a personality. Reading is a changing phenomenon today. Lately, people's interest in reading has decreased, and technologies are to blame. Their expansion cannot be controlled, so we risk to remain without personalities able to think. The opinions have been expressed at "Reading as a basis for culture, knowledge and development" international conference held at the National Library (BNM), attended by librarians and specialists in education, IPN reports.
The director general of the BNM, Elena Pintilei, has said that reading is important for the development of a child, young person, but also of an adult. Elena Pintilei contends that reading has acquired new forms lately. The traditional book has been transformed into an electronic book. As traditional information can be obtained in electronic format. In the opinion of Elena Pintilei, it is important that these sources be used efficiently, and reading, irrespective of format, be aimed at development and knowledge.
Angela Lungu, a teacher of Romanian language and literature at Prometeu-ProTalent High School, has mentioned that the period we are going through today requires educational activities aimed at preparing students for life. She stated that "in order to meet the requirements of modern times, the student must be trained to observe the world, to discover it, and the development of reading skills is a condition for developing school subjects and the key subjects for transforming the student into an active and accomplished citizen.”
"If before " reading " meant transferring content to the reader's mind, today "reading" means to reinvent the meaning, based on previous knowledge to establish a connection with the words from the text; thus the process becomes an interactive one between the reader and the text," said Angela Lungu.
Present at the conference, Victoria Nagy-Vajda, State Secretary at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research, has said that the foundations for acquiring reading skills are laid at home, in the first years of life, in order to prepare a citizen for life. Visiting the library, says the Secretary, helps to strengthen communication and socializing skills. Victoria Nagy-Vajda argues that today is the time to bring reading onto the streets, to create literature rooms in the parks, so that passers-by are attracted to reading.
"Statistics show that people’s interest in reading is continuously declining. We have this obligation to cultivate reading habits so that people could not live without reading. We will help them assert themselves as individuals,” said Victoria Nagy-Vajda.
The event was organized by the National Library of the Republic of Moldova, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research and „Lectura Central”/"Central Reading" National Program.