Reading Day Across Finland Celebrates Literacy on 9 April 2026

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland announced that it will hold Lukutorstai, a nationwide Reading Day, on 9 April 2026 to strengthen literacy skills and encourage especially young people to pick up books.

The church said the day is one of the most visible theme events of the year-long Heart of Education 750 years celebration, highlighting dialogue, culture and education. Held on Agricola Day, Lukutorstai brings together individual readers, schools, parishes, communities and organizations, with activities such as reading aloud, discussions, writer visits and poetry recitals arranged across Finland. The church also described Lukutorstai as a natural lead-in to the Lukuviikko reading week taking place from 20 to 26 April.

In discussion events, the church plans to hear from senior church leaders including Archbishop Tapio Luoma and Tampere Bishop Matti Repo, who will share their own reading experiences and recommend books they feel especially attached to. In Tampere Cathedral on 9 April at 18:00, an event titled Elämäni kirjat (My Books in My Life) will gather well-known guests and the works that have influenced their lives. President Tarja Halonen, Bishop Matti Repo, author Anneli Kanto, comic artist Riina Tanskanen and actor-screenwriter Heikki Vihinen will talk about books that have shaped turning points, opened new perspectives or left a lasting mark, while actor Matti Ristinen will read excerpts chosen by the guests and journalist Niilo Rantala will host.

A second event in the church’s programme will take place in Turku from 18:00 to 19:00 at the Turku City Library’s Studios, featuring a panel titled Kirjat elämässäni (Books in My Life). The speakers will include Archbishop Tapio Luoma, mayor Piia Elo and author Roope Lipasti, with journalist Riitta Monto moderating.

The church added that supporting children’s and young people’s reading skills is seen as a key future skill and a way to build well-being more broadly. It urged adults to help ignite children and young people’s interest in reading, including by reading aloud or passing books forward, and said literacy should be strengthened through political decisions and across all sectors of society.