13/04/2026
LINKS Philippinesโ Hooked on Books Program has just been named the recipient of the IBBYโAsahi Reading Promotion Award, earning global recognition for its lasting contributions to childrenโs reading.
The program stood out among entries from eight other countries, securing a place among this yearโs distinguished awardees.
The winners are being officially announced today, April 13, 2026, during the IBBY Annual Press Conference at the Bologna Childrenโs Book Fair.
The IBBYโAsahi Reading Promotion Award, sponsored by The Asahi Shimbun, honors institutions and initiatives that create meaningful and lasting impact on childrenโs reading. Meanwhile, the IBBYโiRead Outstanding Reading Promoter Award, established with the Shenzhen iRead Foundation, recognizes individuals who dedicate their lives to advancing reading for children worldwide. LINKS Philippines' founding President and CEO Maria Consuleo Doble was also nominated under this category.
Congratulations to LINKS Philippines for this well-deserved international recognition!
We are thrilled to reveal that LINKS Philippines โHooked on Booksโ Program, nominated by IBBY Philippines, is the recipient of the 2026 IBBY-Asahi Reading Promotion Award! โค๏ธ
Announced today at the IBBY Annual Press Conference in Bologna, this award recognizes LINKS for its transformative, community-driven model that integrates literacy with creativity, civic engagement, and financial literacy. Since 2017, the program has: Established 25 libraries reaching over 21,600 children, trained more than 1,000 educators and volunteers, and built a sustainable, low-cost framework embedded in public policy, serving entire communities with culturally relevant Filipino literature.
The project will receive US$ 10,000 (generously sponsored by the Asahi Shimbun) and a diploma, to be presented at the 40th IBBY World Congress in Ottawa this August.
Congratulations also to the 8 other distinguished nominees: โข Poesรญa en la Escuela (Argentina) โข Forest of Reading (Canada) โข Latin American Network of Mediators (Colombia) โข Agence quand les livres relient (France) โข Children's Cultural Development Center (Iran) โข Nuvem Vitoria (Portugal) โข Slovene Reading Badge Society (Slovenia) โข โTime of Heroesโ eco-movement (Uzbekistan)
Thank you to the Jury Co-Chairs Elisabetta Lippolis and Jane OโHanlon and all jury members for their rigorous selection.