Special Reading Initiatives
The Dutch Reading Foundation (Stichting Lezen) was established to promote reading for pleasure both in Dutch and Frisian and to foster a strong reading culture. The foundation supports the reading policy of the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science by allocating funds and stimulating projects that encourage and support reading. It initiates projects that promote reading, supports the development of new reading instruction methods, and funds research. The National Reading Aloud Days (Nationale Voorleesdagen) and the National Reading Aloud Competition (Nationale Voorleeswedstrijd) are examples of projects that the foundation has organized. Additionally, the foundation organized the Library in School (Bibliotheek op school) project in which 44 percent of Dutch primary schools participate. As part of this program, libraries and schools collaborate to promote reading.33
The Ministries of Education, Social Affairs, and Health recently established the Count with Language (Tel mee met Taal) program to promote reading.34