U.K.-based nonprofit Book Aid International, has partnered with PEN Ukraine, English PEN and PEN International to donate a further 15,000 books this year to support libraries affected by the war in Ukraine.
The announcement comes one year after an initial meeting at the London Book Fair with Book Aid International president (and Bloomsbury chief executive) Nigel Newton and chief executive Alison Tweed; Olha Mukha of PEN Ukraine and PEN International; and Daniel Gorman of English PEN. These discussions resulted in a collaboration with PEN Ukraine's Unbreakable Libraries project, which aims to collect and send new books in Ukrainian and English to libraries throughout Ukraine. That 2023 meeting resulted in 25,000 books being sent to Kyiv last November. In addition to Bloomsbury, other U.K. publishers who participated in the project included Hachette UK, HarperCollins, and Pan Macmillan.
"I am delighted that a relationship forged a year ago at the London Book Fair has had such a positive outcome and that Book Aid International has been able to support the Unbreakable Libraries project," said Nigel Newton in a statement. "Ensuring continued access to books for Ukrainians who are facing immeasurable challenges must remain at the forefront of this collaboration. I urge more publishers to join this important initiative by donating books, funds and spreading the word."
