{"id":18868,"date":"2026-09-01T07:42:35","date_gmt":"2026-09-01T07:42:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=18868"},"modified":"2026-09-01T07:42:35","modified_gmt":"2026-09-01T07:42:35","slug":"meet-aditi-paudel-a-17-year-old-high-school-student-appointed-as-japans-first-literacy-ambassador","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=18868","title":{"rendered":"Meet Aditi Paudel, a 17-year-old high school student appointed as Japan’s first literacy ambassador"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Born in Japan, and raised in Nepal during her early childhood, Aditi Paudel had always shown an affinity towards reading. Her earliest memory of reading is of her grandfather handing her a newspaper filled with intricate Devanagari script when she was still in preschool. But to the surprise of those around her, she was still able to make sense of the text. Over the years, she has only improved and the now 17-year-old high school senior in Tokyo was recently appointed as Japan’s first literacy ambassador, as per a report by The Japan Times.The World Literacy Foundation, a global nonprofit headquartered in Australia is running a program where around 900 young people between the ages of 16 and 25 from 101 countries are participating. While the program has been running for 12 years, this is the first time an ambassador from Japan has been appointed, according to Andrew Kay, CEO and founder of the World Literacy Foundation.The aim of the program is to connect young people around the world and get them \u201cinvolved and waving the flag for literacy in their community,\u201d Kay said, noting that Paudel was singled out \u201cfor her leadership, passion for literacy, and commitment to empowering young people in Japan.\u201d \u201cHer curiosity about English shaped thoughtful advocacy, strengthening the program\u2019s global voice and cultural reach,\u201d he added.Paudel returned to Japan to enter the third grade and along with settling into a new life, she found herself having to learn Japanese once more, which meant turning to the books. Her love for reading came pretty early in her life, nurtured by her father who bought her plenty of books. She developed an early taste for fantasy, and recalled falling in love with Enid Blyton\u2019s \u201cThe Wishing-Chair.\u201dReading Malala Yousafzai<\/a>‘s autobiography, ‘I Am Malala’, helped her develop significant interests in female empowerment, including ensuring that women across the world have access to education and literacy. Along with working with children with disabilities, she plans to work with the Shanti Volunteer Association to collect and donate books to Asian countries with lower rates of literacy, including Nepal.With enough experience developing her own reading skills, Paudel said that a common view of literacy is how well a person can read or write, but she sees it in broader terms. Essentially, it\u2019s \u201csomething that helps you open doors for more opportunities,\u201d she noted.Paudel has experienced the impact of her access to private education firsthand and how it has set her life on a different course. \u201cMy parents grew up in a completely opposite environment. They did not have a childhood like this,\u201d she said. \u201cBeing literate is so important because even though you have the potential, you can never unlock it if you do not have literacy.\u201dBut even those with easy access to books are reading less than they once did. Around half of elementary, junior high and high school age children in Japan do not read books, according to a recent study by Benesse Educational Research & Development Institute and the University of Tokyo.Fewer young people are reading for pleasure and enjoyment, said Kay, and that could cause a significant regressive effect. \u201cAs far as embedding themselves in a novel or reading something that really takes a little bit more effort, that is becoming a rarer thing,\u201d he said. Kay also cautions against the impact of artificial intelligence, noting that the latest tech tools provide quick answers, allowing people to skip the process of researching, reading and wrestling with theories and thoughts oneself.\u201cIt\u2019s turning our clock back 150 years \u2026 where most people couldn\u2019t read or would have limited ability to read,\u201d he said of the absence of reading books as a mainstream pursuit. Those trends only add importance to initiatives like the World Literacy Foundation\u2019s ambassador program.As a teenager, Paudel understands growing up in a world full of distractions, where much of life is on and from social media. \u201cYou will always be more inclined to go for your phone rather than a book,\u201d she said, and because of this, making reading a habit is critical. Her advice for developing a love of reading isn\u2019t about ticking classics off a book list, but finding something that resonates, and that, ideally, can broaden the reader\u2019s perspective.<\/div>\n


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