10/04/2024
The Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF) has won the 2024 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for their ‘innovative work in spreading literature to children among Australia's indigenous people’.
Worth five million Swedish kronor (A$715,000), the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA) is a global award given annually to a person or organisation for their outstanding contribution to children’s and young adult literature.
The ILF were announced as the winner at a press conference in Stockholm, with ILF head of publishing Nicola Robinson receiving the news at a simultaneous event at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. The award will be formally presented at a ceremony in Sweden later this year.
The ILF was chosen as the winner from 245 nominations from 68 countries and regions, with the ALMA Jury saying of the ILF:
‘With curiosity and respect, Indigenous Literacy Foundation works with reading and storytelling among First Nations children in Australia. In close collaboration with Communities, they highlight the value of all people’s own languages and stories. By spreading books and stimulating reading, storytelling and creativity, Indigenous Literacy Foundation builds the desire to read and fosters pride, self-confidence and a sense of belonging. Every child has the right to their language and their stories.’
ILF CEO Ben Bowen receiving the phone call announcement of the ALMA
From left: Tracy Reid – deputy head of mission at the Australian embassy in Rome, Nicola Robinson – head of publishing at the ILF, Melissa Whitwell – events manager at the APA
ILF CEO Ben Bowen said of the Award:
‘Thank you to the ALMA Jury; we are deeply honoured to receive this award. The achievement of being shortlisted, let alone being the winner of such a globally prestigious award speaks directly to the nature of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation being a Community-led organisation entrusted to support remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community literacy aspirations. Throughout the lifetime of the ILF, we have had the privilege of being invited into Community and entrusted to support their aspirations through providing culturally relevant books and literacy resources, and publishing their stories in the language they choose.
‘This is not possible without the support of our donors, supporters, volunteers, Ambassadors and Community partners that enable an organisation of around 30 staff to support literacy in over 400 remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities.’
ILF head of publishing Nicola Robinson receiving the ALMA at BCBF
On receiving the award Nicola Robinson said:
‘This award could not have come about without the extraordinary work of many of Australia’s remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities, who trust the ILF with the stories they choose to tell, told in multiple languages and illustrated in Community. This award reflects the work of a great many people, who should all feel proud today.
This award will allow us to continue our literacy work, which touches the lives of so many children and parents.’
ILF is the fourth reading organisation to be awarded the ALMA since it was established in 2002, and the third recipient from Australia after Sonya Hartnett (2008) and Shaun Tan (2011).
You can learn more about the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, past laureates and their selection of the ILF as 2024 laureate, on the ALMA website.