About the campaign
In the fall of 2012, the National Reading Campaign (that’s us) wrapped up three years of planning with the launch of the National Reading Plan, and “What did you read today?”—a public awareness campaign created to make reading a national priority.
Why reading?
Reading is the simple, accessible, ordinary yet extraordinary thing we do that makes us, and every day, better. Just by opening a book, a blog or whatever you choose, you open yourself up to new ideas, cultures and perspectives. And in a global economy where knowledge is power, reading is the turbine.
That’s why when Canada reads, Canada grows. As citizens, reading helps us understand and act with full confidence on crucial issues. But new technologies and media choices, lifestyle changes, unprecedented competition for our leisure time and much more have changed Canadians’ reading habits, and not for the better.
Most disturbing of all, fewer and fewer children are reporting that they enjoy reading. Curiosity, imagination, and all the other vital things that reading sparks—and our future needs—are at risk.
So… what did you read today?
Over the months to come, we’ll be asking that question to Canadians in advertising, through promotions and events, and especially via a dynamic website, where readers can drop in to talk, share and build our reading society. As for the question itself, it’s our way of reminding people that each new day brings a fresh opportunity to be more informed, more aware, and more human—just by reading.
