Round table: A Planetarium of Reading: Navigating through the universe of multimedia

The universe of multimedia allows for multiple ways of expression and communication, and a wide range of narratives. The panel will address the possibilities of creating encouraging reading environments with a plethora of diverse print, digital and audio-visual materials and approaches. The panellists, all of them experienced planetarians in the universe of children’s literature, artists, editors, authors and reading promoters, know all about engaging young audiences. They will discuss how they bring readers together, enable their voices to be heard, and how they maximize their creative participation. How can film and television, magazines and storytelling contribute to creating a reading community? Can they address each child individually, and help them develop several skills and a life-long love of reading – and where to find funding for such activities?

Moderator Veronika Rot Gabrovec

Veronika Rot Gabrovec teaches at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Ljubljana and occasionally translates children’s books from English into Slovene. She has a broad range of interests, including (inter)cultural studies (with a special focus on Australia and New Zealand) and children’s literature. An active member of the Slovenian Reading Association, she is also honoured and proud to be one of the UK Literacy Association (UKLA) International Ambassadors.

Participants:

Periodic press: Alenka Veler - Ciciban and Cicido

Alenka Veler is a former editor of children’s literary magazines Cicido and Ciciban (2000–2010), since 2010 she has been a YA fiction editor at Mladinska Knjiga, one of Slovenia’s most prominent publishing houses. She is one of the initiators and mentors of Itn. (Etc.), a festival of engaged writing for young people (2017–2024). She strongly believes in the power of books and is always seeking out new ways of promoting reading among young people. In 2023 she was awarded the Special Distinction from the Slovenian Section of IBBY for her role in promoting children’s literature and reading.

Literary magazine: Ivan Mitrevski - Galeb

Ivan Mitrevski (1979) is an illustrator, comics artists and writer. Together with Maša Ogrizek he edits the Slovene language children's literary magazine Galeb, published in Trieste.

Radio broadcasting: Klemen Markovčič – Radio Slovenia

Klemen Markovčič is a radio director and editor employed at the Drama Department at the Slovene national broadcaster, Radio Slovenia. He directs a variety of radio formats, from literary programmes to radio plays. He is especially fond of radio plays for young listeners and pays particular attention to radio as a didactic means for auditory development and literacy of children and young adults. This includes projects such as Čebelice (Bees), a series of narrative programmes in a new audio-video format with the aim of transferring children’s literature to radio and TV, the annual art competition for primary school pupils V objemu zvoka in slike (Embraced by sound and image) as a means of encouraging active listening of radio plays and creating art related to what is heard, and the radio programme and podcast Grafoskop (Graphoscope) with the aim of opening up the media landscape to topics of cultural and artistic education.

TV broadcasting: Maruša Prelesnik Zdešar – TV Slovenia

Maruša Prelesnik Zdešar, editor of the TV quiz ‘Male sive celice’ (Little Grey Cells) on TV Slovenia, has been captivating audiences for 28 years. Collaborating with the Golden Pear national reading project, she introduced ‘Prebrane celice’ (Read Cells) to promote youth reading. She extends her influence to primary schools, encouraging a love of books.

TV Slovenia’s Children’s and Youth Programme focuses on delivering high-quality, age-specific content, emphasising an enjoyable experience and fostering values. The program offers information, education, and entertainment.

Film: Petra Slatinšek - Kinodvor

Petra Slatinšek, head of the film education programme and the programme for young audiences at the city cinema Kinodvor, has since 2004 been actively involved in shaping film education for children and young people in Slovenia. She is the founder of two major film education projects, the animated film educational programme Slon (Elephant) in 2005, and the educational film programme Kinobalon at Kinodvor in 2008. Her work involves the selection of films suitable for children and youth, presentation of films to audiences, editorial work and organising other film-related events.

Storytelling: Špela Frlic - Pravljični studio (Storytelling Studio)

Špela Frlic is a storyteller and author. She studied comparative literature and journalism and also holds a master's degree in folklore studies. For five years she ran the children's programme at the Vodnik Homestaed literary venue in Šiška, Ljubljana, and was for seven years the programme leader of the Storytelling Festival in Ljubljana. Her literary debut Bleščivka (Glitterton), published in 2022, received the 2023 Večernica Award for best children’s or YA literary work in Slovenia.