EURead is pleased to announce its upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM), dedicated this year to a theme at the heart of our mission and work across Europe: The Right to Read.
This year we will be meeting in Stockholm, Sweden as our AGM is being hosted by the Bonnier Family Foundation and co-hosted by the Swedish Arts Council. The venues are Swedish Arts Council on day 1 and the Bonnier Publishing House on day 2.
Since 2012 we have stated that ‘Across Europe, more than 73 million adults struggle with low literacy, and 1 in 4 students does not reach basic proficiency in reading,’ based on a Maastricht University publication. In 2026, based on more recent OECD PIAAC data (2025) we still have to conclude that that 20-25% of European adults have low functional literacy. With a total EU population of 500 million, the 73 million number was a conservative estimate at the time.
These realities underscore an urgent truth: reading is not merely a skill — it is a fundamental human right, essential for personal development, democratic participation, social mobility, and a thriving society. In our 2024 Statement on Reading and Literacy, EURead members collectively called on European leaders to recognise reading and critical literacy as foundational for democracy, wellbeing, and economic resilience. The 2025 EURead publication Reading: The Hidden Infrastructure of European Competitiveness calls for recognition of the profound connection between reading, functional literacy, and human development from the earliest years of life is key to unlocking Europe’s potential.
This year’s AGM will again bring together our members to:
- reaffirm The Right to Read as a universal human right
- discuss strategies for guaranteeing equitable access to books, libraries, and reading promotion programmes
- share successful initiatives and research on literacy, early reading, and critical reading in democratic societies
EURead continues to serve as a European platform where members collectively develop approaches to secure a future in which every child, young person, and adult has full access to reading and literacy.
Almost all of our member member organisations will be participating. Partners and stakeholders committed to literacy, democracy, and equitable access are invited to contact us if they would like to join us at this important gathering.
Let us stand together to ensure that the right to read is protected, promoted, and fulfilled — for everyone, everywhere in Europe.
| EURead Annual General Meeting 2026 – Draft Agenda | |
| 27th May, 2026 (Wednesday) – Annual General Meeting, Day 1 | |
| Arts Council, Swedish Filmhouse, Filmhuset Borgvägen 1, Stockholm | |
| 9.30 – 10.00 | Registration |
| 10.00 – 11.00 | Opening Ceremony of the Annual General Meeting |
| Moderator: Valentina Stoeva – Chair of EURead | |
| – Lovisa Fhager Logothetis; Bonnier Family Foundation (host of the AGM2026) | |
| – Klara Tomson, General Director, Swedish Arts Council (co-host of the AGM 2026) | |
| – Wäppling Korzinek, European Commission, Head of Representation in Sweden, | |
| – Parisa Liljestrand, Minister of Culture, Sweden | |
| – Elaina Ryan, co-chair of EURead | |
| 11.00 – 11.15 | Short break |
| 11.15 – 12.00 | Moderator: Diana Gerald – co-chair of EURead |
| Mats Malm, Permanent Secretary Swedish Academy | |
| Hanna Nordell, Managing Director of PEN Sweden | |
| Fabian Paagman, President of the European and International Booksellers Federation | |
| 12.00 – 13.00 | Lunch at Swedish Filmhouse |
| 12.50 – 13.00 | Photo |
| AGM – Open Program | |
| Swedish Arts Council | |
| 13.00 – 13.15 | Opening Speech by Valentina Stoeva, Chair of EURead |
| 13.15 – 14.15 | Swedish Arts Council Showcases, including BookStart, GN Update and ALMA |
| 14.15 – 14.45 | Coffee Break |
| 14.45 – 15.45 | Break Out Sessions |
| Session A | Live Literature Workshop by Agnes Török, Children’s Laureate of Sweden |
| Session B | School Libraries – From Access to Impact |
| 15.45 – 16.00 | Reflections on Day 1 |
| 18.00 – 20.00 | Official Dinner |
| 28th May, 2026 (Thursday) – Annual General Meeting, Day 2 | |
| Bonnier Publishing House, Room Selma, Sveavägen 56 | |
| 09.00 – 09.10 | Warm-up |
| 09.10 – 10.30 | General Assembly – Members Only Moderator: Diana Gerald – co-chair of EURead |
| Reports on finances, communications etc. | |
| 10.30 – 10.45 | Short Break |
| 10.45 – 12.15 | The Future of EURead |
| 12.15 – 13.15 | LUNCH / CEO LUNCH |
| 13.15 – 14.15 | Break Out Sessions |
| Session C | Funding EU Projects, Read for Real, Reading Coalition |
| 14.15 – 14.45 | Short Break |
| 14.45 – 15.30 | The Right to Read |
| 15.30 – 16.00 | Members’ Reflections on the AGM and Closing from the Board |