PHILIPSBURG:--- The Second Annual St. Maarten Reading Festival, held at the close of Literacy Month 2025, has been hailed a resounding success. The two-day event, a collaborative endeavor by The Sint Maarten Library, Biblionef Nederland, The Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth, and Sports, The University of St. Maarten, Help our Children Foundation, and 721 kids Foundation, brought together students, educators, and the general public to celebrate the power and joy of reading.
Group 5 students from various elementary schools enthusiastically captivated their fellow classmates with their reading theater performance, ‘The Tortoise & the Hare”. The general public was warmly welcomed, fostering a vibrant atmosphere of community engagement and shared appreciation for literature.
The festival offered a rich and diverse program of literary delights designed to promote reading, writing, and an exploration of technology’s impact on literature. Attendees enjoyed a vibrant lineup of performances, presentations, and workshops celebrating storytelling and literacy.
Highlights included live drama performances such as The Night Owl & the Roosters, a Haitian folktale written by Charles Reasoner and performed by USM Education students, and De Twee Vechtende Eekhoorntjes, written by Rachel Bright and brought to life by Urmie Noordzee and her group. The festival also featured enchanting puppet theater productions, including Goldilocks and the Three Bears, presented by Patricia Maeir and her puppet troupe, and Enormuis, written by Angie Morgan and performed by Urmie Noordzee and her team. Every performance book was selected to inspire reading and share valuable life lessons.
Engaging workshops invited participants to explore Anansi stories through The Adventures of Anansi, delve into Caribbean storytelling traditions, develop creative writing skills in In Freedom I Speak, and discover the connection between AI and storytelling. Additional sessions included Voices on Canvas: A Journey through Mixed Media and Visual Poetry and practical Reading Tips for Early and Fluent Readers.
In addition to these highlights, the festival featured interactive activities specifically designed for children, a cozy reading café for relaxation and discussion, and captivating storytelling sessions that transported listeners to different worlds.
Gratitude and looking ahead, the St. Maarten Library expresses its sincere gratitude to all participating organizations for their invaluable involvement and support, which were instrumental to the festival's success. Heartfelt thanks are also extended to the students, teachers, and attendees who contributed to the event's vibrant and positive atmosphere.
The library hopes that everyone departed with a renewed love for literature and eagerly anticipates the next St. Maarten Reading Festival!
