Author and Producer Karen E. Franks of Bermuda will speak at the 2023 World Literacy Foundation in April about her children’s dream initiatives through the Visual Arts and Education.
March 30th, 2023 ll Bermuda, UK ~ Being able to speak on a world stage at an international conference such as the 2023 World Literacy Foundation Summit in Oxford, UK is both an honor and opportunity for author and producer Karen E. Franks to share her initiative for children to learn how to make connections with their dreams in ways that encourage them to read and learn and to explore what their gifts are that will eventually manifest a quality of life for themselves and for those around them and in their communities around the world.
The World Literacy Foundation is a non-profit organization based in the United Kingdom that has hosted the conference every two years since its inception in 2003. Their global mission “perfectly” aligns with Franks’ work as an author and her initiatives to “ensure that every child regardless of geographic location has the opportunity to acquire literacy skills and books to reach their full potential.”
The foundation strives to “eradicate illiteracy by 2040” where it is believed that 796 million people cannot read or write globally which prevents any quality of life. 67 million children do not have access to primary school education and another 72 million miss out on secondary school education.
“Illiteracy is ruining lives and is linked with an array of poor life outcomes, such as poverty, unemployment, social exclusion, crime and long-term illness. The World Literacy Foundation is challenging a mindset amongst world leaders to treat illiteracy as a type of disease of which we all are aiming to eradicate” according to researchers at the foundation.
It is not lost on Franks that this news release comes on the day of Martin Luther King’s birthday celebration around the world for King’s Civil Rights work and legacy and his iconic “I Have A Dream” speech that implored all of us to use our dreams and manifest that which has been ordained for all of us. This starts for children with education, reading and writing.
Franks’ successful children’s book series ‘Abigail’s Dream Adventures’ is about a little girl named Abigail who has wonderful adventures during the day with her best friends Jonathan and Judy and mystical, magical dreams that include her multi-dimensional dream pal Pearl who changes character in each dream. Once they are both inside Abigail’s dreams, they meet children of different cultures and ethnicities that join in on the fun adventures by way of bridging the gap of racial divide.
“My mission is to inspire children to dream through reading, and to encourage them to use their imagination and creativity to make all their dreams come true” says Franks and this will be her focus for her speech at this year’s summit on how parents and educational institutions can help children through the use and practice of techniques such as “Dream Yoga” and various breathing exercises that have proven quality of life benefits.
For more about Karen Franks and her books, go to: Abigails Dream Adventures |
And for more about the World Literacy Foundation Summit, go to: World Literacy Foundation – Changing Lives Through Literacy
Karen Franks WLFS speaking info:
11:20-11:40 Sunday, 2 April, 2023
Dream Building through Literacy – Building our dreams TOGETHER Karen E. Franks Abigail’s Dream Adventures BermudaTrackEarly Childhood/Primary Literacy
