Reading is an act of civilization; it’s one of the greatest acts of civilization because it takes the free raw material of the mind and builds castles of possibilities, says author Ben Okri. Yet all over the world educationists and parents worry that children are turning away from reading, and reading books in particular, to skim, swipe and browse. 

Today, on UNESCO’s World Book Day, we ask what’s at stake. 

<p>Reading is an act of civilization; it&rsquo;s one of the greatest acts of civilization because it takes the free raw material of the mind and builds castles of possibilities, says author Ben Okri. Yet all over the world educationists and parents worry that children are turning away from reading, and reading books in particular, to skim, swipe and browse. <br><br>Today, on UNESCO&rsquo;s World Book Day, we ask what&rsquo;s at stake.&nbsp;</p>

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