Bookworms from 92 countries celebrate National Year of Reading with huge literary party
Last month, 153,862 book enthusiasts teamed up to celebrate the National Year of Reading with a record-shattering online celebration that spanned continents.
The ambitious initiative, organized by the National Literacy Trust (UK) and the British Council, took place on 8 October and rallied a huge virtual crowd.
Individual participants joined over 3,000 schools, libraries, families and hobby groups answered the call and shared their love for reading, setting the record for the most people reading online in 12 hours.
Image courtesy of the National Literacy Trust
Remarkably, the Take 10 To Read event transcended geographical borders and registered logins from a whopping 92 Countries — including the Cayman Islands, Afghanistan, Venezuela and even Ukraine and Palestine.
Outside of the United Kingdom, the biggest hubs were Romania, India and Pakistan.
On 4 November, the record was officially announced during a certificate presentation at Malmesbury Primary School in London.
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The record was attempted as part of the National Literacy Trust’s “Take 10 to Read”, the annual challenge that encourages everyone to dedicate 10 minutes to reading at 10:00 AM on 10 October (World Mental Health Day).
Launched in 2018, the initiative went global after the charity teamed up with the British Council to celebrate the National Year of Reading 2026.
Addressing the steep decline in reading amongst children and adults, the National Year of Reading supports libraries and encourages millions of potential readers to "Go All In" and explore topics they’re passionate about through books, comics and audiobooks.
Author Rashmi Sirdeshpande and Guiness World Records Adjudicator Will Munford presented the certificate to pupils at Malmesbury Primary School.
Image courtesy of the National Literacy Trust (Credits: Errol Jones)
This call to action resonated globally, resulting in a record-breaking demonstration that books indeed have the power to bring together individuals despite their different backgrounds, ages and interests.
The landmark also highlighted the importance of shared spaces such as classrooms and public libraries: virtual or physical places where readers can connect, learn together, and immerse themselves in their favourite topic.
“Reading has the power to bring people together, open up new worlds and support our wellbeing,” said David Hayman, Director of the National Year of Reading 2026.
“This record-breaking achievement is a brilliant demonstration of what can be accomplished when we come together around a shared love of reading.”
We want the National Year of Reading to inspire people of all ages to discover how reading connects with the things they already love, and to make it a part of their everyday lives.
- David Hayman, Director of the National Year of Reading
At the reading party, participants could focus on their book of choice and immerse themselves in the joy of reading.
The programme included online sessions featuring an author or guest with 10 minutes of individual reading time, and the topics offered several options for young readers and teens.
National Year of Reading ambassadors — including BookTok and Bookstagram creators such as Coco Omer and Zubs J Malik — hosted bookish sessions aimed at older readers aged 16 and over.
Image courtesy of the National Literacy Trust
However, the record-breaking meet-up was more than a collective celebration of a hobby.
It served as a reminder that reading connects individuals and can support physical and mental well-being. Enjoying a book stimulates creativity and curiosity and, once embedded into our daily routine, it helps us slow down and relax.
The National Literacy Trust, the British Council and many young readers celebrated their record title with an official certificate presentation at Malmesbury Primary School, in the London borough of Tower Hamlets.
Children's author Rashmi Sirdeshpande and Guinness World Records Adjudicator Will Munford joined the pupils and teachers to celebrate the remarkable achievement.
A separate certificate presentation also took place at Holy Child Senior Secondary School in New Delhi, India, reflecting the global breadth of the event.
Author Rashmi Sirdeshpande and Guiness World Records Adjudicator Will Munford presented the certificate to pupils at Malmesbury Primary School.
Image courtesy of the National Literacy Trust (Credits: Errol Jones)
“What's so brilliant about this achievement is that it shows the incredible power of people coming together,” said Will.
“From classrooms and libraries to homes across the world, 153,862 people in 92 countries each played their part in making history.”
At Guinness World Records, we want everyone to feel they can be part of record-breaking, and this is a brilliant example of exactly that. You don't have to do something extraordinary on your own to achieve something extraordinary together.
