Lesefuchse e.V. opens 15th reading festival at Hellabrunn Zoo

On Thursday, 15 June, Hellabrunn Zoo hosted a reading event for Lesefüchse e.V., an association aimed at promoting reading among primary school children.

The readings were conducted at six stations around the animal park and attended by twelve school classes, accompanied by their teachers. Narrated by volunteer readers, the pupils immersed themselves in numerous stories about animals and jungle adventures. At the end of the reading festival, the pupils were given a bundle of books for the class library – to discover the joy of reading. Reading is one of the most important skills a child can learn. The ability to read enables a child to absorb, understand and process information. It also expands a young person’s vocabulary, stimulates imagination and improves other related skills like grammar and spelling. In addition, reading helps children develop creativity and visualise themselves in different worlds and perspectives. Reading is therefore an essential skill that supports young people in many aspects of life and helps them to develop as individuals.

Hellabrunn Zoo and Lesefuchse e.V. – continuation of a common goal

This year‘s event represents the third time the Lesefüchse (reading foxes) has chosen Hellabrunn Zoo as a venue for its reading festival, after successful collaborations in 2006 and 2009. For Verena Dietl, chair of the supervisory board and mayor, who is also a patron for this year's festival, the joint initiative is hugely beneficial for young people: "The last few years have not been easy, especially for children, as only a few have been able to attend cultural events. So it's nice to see that the Lesefüchse is able to convey the joy of reading to children, both in schools or, as in the case today, in unique places such as the zoo. Reading stories expands the vocabulary and the ability to express oneself, and ignites the desire to read for oneself. Lesefüchse‘s commitment is therefore of vital importance and I am pleased that the zoo is supporting the association as an equally committed partner to education.”

Volunteer readers at the event included zoo director Rasem Baban, who sees the reading festival as an ideal complement to the zoo’s education programme: "At Hellabrunn, we have a clear education mission, which we implement through traditional or interactive signage and learning stations around our animal enclosures, through our website and through the innovative work of our Zoo School. Our stated goal of environmental education is to arouse enthusiasm in visitors big and small and to encourage all our guests to learn about conservation through the educational facilities at the zoo. It is therefore only logical for us to support the Lesefüchse again and we are delighted to be able to welcome the association here for the third time along with all the school classes and volunteer readers."

Stefan Inderst, chairman of Lesefüchse e.V., is very pleased with the municipal support and this year’s venue: “The support provided by the City of Munich is essential for the education initiatives of our association, so that we can continue to encourage growing children to enjoy reading age-appropriate literature and to inspire young people. And if our traditional reading festival can be held at such a diverse and beautiful venue as Hellabrunn Zoo, then this is a win-win situation for everyone. Especially when you have dedicated volunteer readers such as Birgit Süß from Stadtsparkasse München and the popular children's book author Margit Auer at your side."

Lesefüchse e.V. also has a long-standing cooperation with the Munich Police Department. For Thomas Hampel, Munich's police chief, the association has been an important partner for the past 16 years. With the campaign Police Officers Read Aloud, Lesefuchse e.V. and the police aim to bring the topic of violence prevention directly to the children. Hampel said: “Reading aloud helps the police officers to gain the children’s trust. The project started many years ago has now become a permanent cooperation, which we were able to conduct today in a very special venue thanks to the Hellabrunn Zoo. At this point, I would once again like to thank the Lesefüchse and the zoo for their joint commitment.”