Tijdens het tweejaarlijkse IBBY-congres vorige week in Kopenhagen is Wally de Doncker (op bovenstaande foto links, naast IBBY-bestuurslid Harm de Jonge) gekozen in het internationale bestuur van IBBY, samen met nog negen kandidaten vanuit heel de wereld. Wally is geen onbekende voor ons, en ook al was hij voorgedragen door de Vlaamse IBBY-sectie, we zien hem eigenlijk ook een beetje als “onze’ kandidaat. We hebben al veel met hem samengewerkt en steeds op een heel gezellige en constructieve manier (onder meer bij de organisatie van de Lingen-conferenties, maar ook binnen de jury van de Jenny Smelik-IBBY prijs). We zijn blij dat we via hem hopelijk een goed contact met het internationale bestuur zullen hebben. In Kopenhagen presenteerde Wally zich als volgt aan alle nationale IBBY-secties tijdens de General Assembly. 

Children’s literature is deeply-rooted part of my professional and personal life. As a writer, I try to react to the behaviour of people around me. As a result, events of my life are the main source of inspiration for my stories with which I strive to fascinate readers of all ages.

       It is important to tell you that I began my career as a teacher. I did this in 1979, and for six years I served as a special teacher of children’s literature.

       I am also the founder of a pre-reading and initial reading method Leesdraak - which translates into Reading Dragon - and which is now used in over 200 schools. 

       Since 2004 I have been a member of the editorial board of the American critical journal of children’s literature ‘The Lion and the Unicorn’.

       I am above all, a writer, however.  Several of my books have been adapted for stage, musical, animation and dance movies.  Some of my books have been translated into different languages.

       As well, I write articles about the international dimension of children’s literature for several Belgian and Dutch specialized magazines.  Some of the titles include: Who is Jella Lepman. Erich Kästner and Berlin, The Puchkin Library in Sint-Petersburg.  As part of this work, I have enjoyed the pleasure of interviewing, among others, Leena Maissen,  Nafez Assaily (Palestine),  Lona Gericke (South-Africa), Marie Derrien (France)  and a few other icons of the international world of children’s literature that include Kimberley Reynolds, Lissa Paul, Aidan Chambers and others.

       Between 1995 to 2003, and since 2006 I have been an active board member of the Flemish section of IBBY Belgium.  This work has given me new insights into the challenges of bringing books to children and children to books and has been one of the most important passages in my life as an advocate for the book and the story in children’s lives.

       In this regard, since 1999 I have been involved in the preparations for the biennial IBBY congress of Lingen Germany (together with the German Friedrich Bödecker Kreis, IBBY Netherlands and IBBY Flanders). I also served as a member of the IBBY Fundraising Committee during the transitional period between 2004-2005.

       Children’s literature plays a key role in my life, just as it does in yours. And like you all, I believe that working with the legacy of Jella Lepman’s achievement is a privilege but also a responsibility for those who believe that one dimension of the book is its ability to build important bridges between peoples of different cultures.  I believe this because I know that it is one way to lay the ever-necessary foundations for a better world for all children.