The Book and Periodical Council and its Freedom of Expression Committee are pleased to announce the 31st annual Freedom to Read Week in Canada. A national celebration of freedom of expression that takes place in libraries, schools and arts venues across Canada, this year’s program runs from February 22 to 28, 2015.

“Every week we read of challenges to free expression. Some command international headlines, others involve quiet requests to remove material from local library shelves, and all demand our attention,” said Marg Anne Morrison, chair of the Freedom of Expression Committee. “During Freedom to Read Week, we invite Canadians to celebrate free expression, place challenges to it under scrutiny and join together to debate how censorship in many forms affects us all.”

Freedom to Read Week incorporates public readings and panel discussions, challenged book and magazine displays and a kit for librarians and teachers. Public events take place in locations across the country; speakers include poets, investigative journalists, librarians and readers. Events this year include:

– discussions about investigative journalism in a transformed media landscape
– debates about libel law, self-censorship, defamation and intellectual freedom
– readings from challenged books and magazines
– the presentation of three awards for work in the field of free expression

A complete list of events in locations across Canada is available at freedomtoread.ca; it will be updated as new events are added. Event organizers are encouraged to share their plans with Freedom to Read Week organizers through the same web address.

About Freedom to Read Week
Freedom to Read Week is organized by the Book and Periodical Council’s Freedom of Expression Committee, a group committed to promoting intellectual freedom in Canada. Since 1978, the Freedom of Expression Committee has worked with educators, librarians, publishers, writers, booksellers, advocacy groups and the community at large to provide information that addresses censorship and book and magazine challenges in Canada. Freedom to Read Week is generously supported by the Canada Council for the Arts. For more information, visit freedomtoread.ca.

About the Book and Periodical Council
The Book and Periodical Council is the umbrella organization for Canadian associations whose members are primarily involved with the writing, editing, translating, publishing, producing, distributing, lending, marketing, reading and selling of written words. For more information, visit thebpc.ca.