The 26th Annual General Meeting of the EURead network took place on 27–28 May 2026 in Stockholm.
– one of the most influential European forums for promoting reading. The Universal Reading Foundation was represented by its president, Maria Deskur.
The two-day conference was hosted by the Bonniers Family Foundation and the Swedish Arts Council.
The meeting was attended by 39 organizations from 28 countries, representing communities involved in the promotion of reading, publishers, cultural institutions and government representatives – including the Swedish Minister of Culture, Parisa Liljestrand, and Mats Malm, Permanent Secretary of the Swedish Academy.
The main theme of this year's edition was The right to read. The discussions focused on recognizing reading as a fundamental human right and strategies for ensuring equal access
to books, libraries and reading programmes, as well as the exchange of good practices and research results on literacy.
The starting point for the discussion was the latest OECD PIAAC data (2025), according to which 20–25% European adults still struggle with low levels of functional reading skills.
Participation in the meeting was an opportunity to establish contacts with partners from all over Europe and
to work together to develop solutions for a society in which every child and adult has full access to reading and verbal culture.
You can read more about the meeting on the EURead website: EURead Annual General Meeting 2026 – EURead
