The 16th Reading to Children Week, running from 1 to 7 October 2026, was opened at the Divadlo loutek Ostrava puppet theatre by the singer Ewa Farna and the writer Alena Mornštajnová.
The 16th Reading to Children Week runs from 1 to 7 October 2026 and brings together families, schools, kindergartens and libraries across the Czech Republic. President Petr Pavel has taken patronage of it [1][3]. The opening ceremony took place on 1 October at the Divadlo loutek Ostrava puppet theatre in Ostrava, with the singer Ewa Farna and the writer Alena Mornštajnová taking part [1][2].
The event is organised by the non-profit organisation Celé Česko čte dětem, founded in 2006 by Eva Katrušáková. This year the organisation marks 20 years of activity. According to it, more than 110 figures from culture, science and sport have joined its activities, and until 2015 Václav Havel gave the campaign his personal patronage [1][2]. "We want to celebrate the 20th anniversary above all with children," said Katrušáková [1]. The organisation recommends that adults read to children for 20 minutes a day [1].
The ceremonial opening was preceded by workshops and a dramatic reading workshop for children; children made up almost half of the audience. The evening was hosted by the actor and presenter Petr Vančura [2]. Video greetings from the presidential couple and other figures were played, among them Bolek Polívka, Arnošt Goldflam, Janek Ledecký and Jan Hřebejk, and a clip for a song dedicated to the event, composed by Jiří Krhut, was screened [2]. The leitmotif of the evening was the children's thanks to their parents. Among her favourite books from childhood, Alena Mornštajnová mentioned Poláček's book Bylo nás pět (We Were Five) [2].
Related articles: Alena Mornštajnová, Ewa Farna, Ostrava
Chronology
- — In Ostrava, the singer Ewa Farna and the writer Alena Mornštajnová opened Reading to Children Week; the organisation Celé Česko čte dětem marks 20 years of existence. MediaGuru Ostravan.cz