Message from the ISLM Chairperson, Raman Deep

Dear Librarians, Educators, Students, Families, Storytellers, and Friends of School Libraries,

Every culture carries within it a treasury of stories. Some are carefully preserved in books; many live primarily in memory and are passed from one generation to another through the voices of parents, grandparents, elders, storytellers, teachers, and communities.

These stories are more than tales of heroes, magical worlds, mythical beings, or extraordinary journeys. They often embody the values, beliefs, humour, wisdom, experiences, and imagination of the communities from which they emerge. They help young people understand where they come from while also inviting them to imagine worlds beyond their own.

The Treasure Box of Native Folktales & Fairytales is an invitation to preserve and share this rich heritage.

Through this initiative, we hope to bring together stories from different countries, communities, languages, and traditions and create a living collection that reflects the extraordinary diversity of human storytelling. A story contributed by one family, school, librarian, or community may become an unexpected source of wonder and learning for a reader thousands of kilometres away.

For young people in particular, encountering stories from other cultures can encourage curiosity, broaden perspectives, and develop a deeper appreciation of the many ways in which communities understand the world. Equally important, sharing a story from one's own heritage can strengthen a young person's sense of identity and belonging.

I therefore warmly encourage principals, librarians, educators, students, parents, grandparents, storytellers, and cultural enthusiasts to search their memories, libraries, family traditions, and communities for a story that deserves to be heard.

Perhaps it is a tale your grandmother once told you. Perhaps it is a local legend known only within your community. Perhaps it is a folktale preserved in your school library or a traditional story that has travelled through generations.

Whatever its origin, if it carries cultural meaning and deserves to be remembered, we invite you to share it.

Let us build this Treasure Box together—not simply as a collection of stories, but as a record of the diverse cultural voices that enrich our shared human experience.

May these stories travel across borders, spark conversations, inspire young imaginations, and remind us that while our traditions may be wonderfully different, storytelling remains a language we all understand.

With warm regards,

Raman Deep
Chairperson, International School Library Month (ISLM)