“We were thrilled to host the Great Book Swap in our Bibliothèque,” said International Grammar School (IGS) Principal Shauna Colnan.
“Our Indigenous scholars and other students loved welcoming our Indigenous Literacy Foundation and NITV visitors, and couldn’t wait to donate their gold coins and swap books.
“We’ll be adding the book Hello Hello, swapped by ILF ambassador and astrophysicist Kirstin Banks, to our growing collection of First Nations literature.
“One student suggested every school should hold this event every day!”
Please view the NITV News segment here.
Students brought in books and gold coins from home to for the swap, and heard from ILF ambassador and Indigenous Australian astrophysicist and science communicator Kirsten Banks.
“There’s something about reading a book and being taken into the imagination of that world,” Kirsten told NITV on Tuesday.
“For me, reading books opens up the universe. To see that same love and appreciation in the kids today is the special part for me.
“I’m an astrophysicist, I’m dong research on trying to understand the universe around me, and books puts me in a position to enjoy learning and open up the universe a little more.”
Kirsten swapped a book with Year 5, Hello Hello.
“Hello Hello, written by a young indigenous mob, is a beautiful story about finding out about the world around you, on a much smaller scale to what I do, but it really connected to me because of how I’m unveiling the universe to not only myself but the rest of the world,” Kirsten said.
You can donate online here.
We thank photographer Joseph Mayers for capturing the below gallery.
