Reading Hour invites people to read in public spaces

People across Estonia are being invited to put down their routines and read in public spaces during Reading Hour on Sept. 8, which will mark International Literacy Day from 11 a.m. to noon.

The campaign aims especially to promote reading among children and young people, though readers of all ages can take part. In Tallinn, participants will gather at 11:30 a.m. on Estonia Boulevard, between Südalinna Library and Tallinn Secondary School of Science. They will form a reading chain with several Tallinn writers, while a regular Tallinn City Government meeting will begin with a reading break in solidarity with readers across Estonia.

In Tartu, readers will meet at 11 a.m. at the steps of the Atlantis Centre beside the Emajõgi River. Several Tartu writers will join them, and Mayor Urmas Klaas will open the event. Participants can bring their own book or choose one from a table of books offered by Tartu City Library.

Reading Hour events will also take place in dozens of libraries, schools and other locations around Estonia. Organizers plan readings indoors, in parks and on playgrounds, with activities ranging from introductions to new books to selections from Estonian and world classics. Some events are open to everyone, while others require registration. The organizers are encouraging participants to share photographs of themselves reading on social media with the hashtag #lugemistund2026.

The campaign was first held in Finland in 2019 under the name ReadHour. Estonia is staging it for the sixth time at the initiative of the Finnish Institute, Tartu City Library and Tallinn Libraries. Organizers say every small contribution helps sustain and grow the reading habit, because a society that reads continues to develop.