Welcome
Get ready for #ReadForReal 2026 and start planning your activities today. Explore the year-round schedule and everything you need to take part in this year’s celebration of European Authors Day.
Start getting ready for the 2026 celebrations on 11 November – 12 December 2026.
Vision
Our dream is a Reading Europe – a place where books are present in every home, reading is strongly promoted in public spaces, and meeting authors bring the European people together in a joyful celebration of literature.
#EuropeanAuthorsDay #ReadForReal aims not only to celebrate, but also to co-create events, spaces, and communities where writers, illustrators, translators, and graphic artists become beloved voices and inspiring heroes for children and young people.
Authors are superheroes
Creativity is a defining human trait, a force that enables us to generate new ideas, solutions, products, and systems. From this perspective, book authors – writers, illustrators, graphic designers, and translators, embody the very essence of what it means to be human… It is through their creativity that we find inspiration to think, change, and progress. Meeting them is like meeting superheroes.
Why is reading important?
Numerous studies across disciplines, such as psychology, psycholinguistics, pediatrics, sociology, neuroscience, psychiatry, education, and economics, and institutions (Oxford, Harvard, PISA OECD, Boston Medical Center, UCLA, Sussex University, Ulm University, and many others) collectively demonstrate that reading books and talking from an early age develops our language skills, builds on an individual level our psycho-physical health and well-being, as well as the foundation for life success. This, in turn, translates on a societal level into scientific and economic achievements, social capital, and more resilient democracies.
Beginnings
The European Authors Day was initiated by the European Commission in 2023, and its first two editions were coordinated by the Creative Europe team. We are honored and grateful that our consortium has been chosen to continue this wonderful mission forward.
Learn more about the partner organizations leading the project.
We invite you to get involved – the project is open to everyone.
Organisers
The European Authors Day was established in 2023 thanks to the initiative of the European Commission. For two years, it was coordinated by Creative Europe, which continues to co-fund the project. Since 2025, the European Authors Day, under the inviting slogan #ReadForReal, is led by a consortium of seven partners from five countries.
We believe that our seven is a truly lucky number. The Universal Reading Foundation from Poland brings the agility of a small organization. The National Library of Poland lends the strength and expertise of a major cultural institution. French cultural centre, CICLIC, shares its sense of innovation and experimentation on reading promotion in the French Centre-Val de Loire region. Stiftung Lesen from Germany offers the experience of a true nationwide leader. The Chetene Foundation from Bulgaria adds bold, creative energy. The Federation of European Publishers provides the superpower of connections, EURead network gives global reach. We are happy to use our added superpowers in the service of promoting creativity and reading across Europe.
