I am very pleased today to launch our new strategy: The power of books: Our vision for 2025.  

Books give people power. They transform how people see themselves, and see the world around them. Yet millions are without books – and the need for books has never been so urgent.   

87% of sub-Saharan African primary school pupils today experience learning poverty, and hundreds of thousands are still out of school after Covid.

Climate change is impacting communities around the world, conflict and displacement are putting countless livelihoods and lives at risk and poverty is rising.  

 A book might seem like a small thing in the fight against inequality or climate change  – but we see every day how books can spark a transformation. Books light up imaginations and ambitions. They are powerful tools for fighting poverty, improving education, challenging discrimination and building a more equal world for all.  

 In our Power of books strategy, we are committed to reaching the people who face the greatest barriers to reading and learning.

In the places where teachers struggle to encourage children to dream big, where it’s hardest to become a doctor, where there has never been a library before – that’s where we are determined to put the power of books in people’s hands.  

At the heart of our new strategy is one key aim: Access. We will work to create access to books where it is needed most by focusing on our strategic goals of equity, engagement, partnership and advocacy. To find out more, you can read our digital strategy summary or download our full strategy document.   

This strategy is our next step towards a world where everyone has access to the books that will enrich, improve and change their lives – but we cannot take this step alone.

We will rely on the publishers who donate books to us, on our many volunteers and dedicated staff, on the donors who support us and on the determination, ingenuity and knowledge of our partners around the world.  

I invite you to join us in taking this next step – whether by donating brand new books or funds,  helping us speak up for books or partnering with our charity, you can be a part of sharing the power of books.  

Thank you for your support to date, and I look forward to working with you in the future.