Since the beginning of the health crisis, the government has deployed significant resources to help the cultural sector hard hit by the measures needed to curb the progress of COVID-19. However, public aid had so far not included the entire book chain (publishers, booksellers) in compensation for losses available through the cantonal funds set up to mitigate the damage caused by the situation.
To fill part of this gap, the State of Vaud, through the Department of Training, Youth and Culture (DFJC), is setting up an unprecedented operation following the Noise of the Pages day on 11 November. Starting today, teachers in gymnasiums and vocational schools will be able to buy a book for their classes published by a Swiss or French author and published by a French publisher in any bookstore in the canton. These books will be offered to students when they are usually dependent. A philosophical essay, a history book, a novel, a poetry collection or a law analysis, teachers are free to choose a book that they can then work with their students. Deploying until the end of the year, this operation opens the possibility for some 10,000 gymnasiens and apprentices to be offered a book by a local author published in French-speaking Switzerland and to deepen its study with their teachers.
This measure represents an investment of 250,000 to 300,000 francs. It is part of the policy of support for economic and cultural actors desired by the Council of State and constitutes concrete support for literary production as well as for the entire book chain hard hit by the crisis. This action also translates into action one of the central aspects of the message For a public mobilization in favour of reading, writing and the book addressed in 2019 by the DFJC, which aims among other things to promote creation and local literary production.
Press release of the State of Vaud – Source and details
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