On 10 June 2026, the MEWA Arena in Mainz became the setting for a very special reading experience: during “World Record Reading 2026 – Largest Public Reading in a La-Ola Formation”, 7.500 children and young people from across Rhineland-Palatinate will come together to celebrate the joy of reading and a sense of community. The event is initiated by Leserattenservice, 1. FSV Mainz 05, SWR1 Rheinland-Pfalz, and children’s and young adult author Stefan Gemmel.
The International Gutenberg Society warmly invites all participating pupils to take part in the accompanying creative project “Books in Motion”.
The Gutenberg Society will provide yearbooks free of charge, inviting participants to transform them into unique works of art. Whether folded into sculptures, redesigned as collages, turned into mysterious “book caves”, or reimagined as leporellos, pop-up books, or even small pieces of furniture — creativity knows no limits. Techniques such as book folding, upcycling collages, and layered paper cutting offer exciting new ways to experience books beyond reading.
The finished works may be photographed and submitted by the participating schools. Among all participating schools, we will raffle an exclusive reading with Stefan Gemmel for the school submitting the highest number of entries. Particularly outstanding works will also be presented at the Mainz Book Fair on 24 and 25 October 2026.
For 125 years, the Gutenberg Society has stood alongside the Gutenberg Museum Mainz and has promoted an active engagement with book culture, the art of printing, and media history. Through this initiative, we invite children and young people not only to read books, but also to rediscover and reinterpret them creatively.
The yearbooks were not only available for pickup directly at the arena on June 10, but can also be picked up at the Gutenberg Society’s storeroom at Gutenberg-Carré, 1 Ernst-Ludwig-Platz, until the end of the promotion.
We look forward to receiving many imaginative contributions — and to demonstrating together how vibrant and inspiring books can still be today.
The deadline for submissions is Friday, September 25, 2026.
Do you need information, or send us photos of your artwork?
