West Bangka Regional Library Receives Donation of World War II History Books
West Bangka, Babel (ANTARA) — The Regional Library of West Bangka Regency, Bangka Belitung Islands Province, has received a number of history books donated by families of World War II victims who are currently visiting Mentok to commemorate the tragedy.
"This is an honour, as the families of World War II victims from Australia visited the Regional Library and donated five books, all of which are related to the history of World War II," said Farouk Yohansyah, Head of the West Bangka Regency Library and Archives Service, in Mentok on Wednesday.
The five history books handed over by the victims' families are White Coolies, Sister Viv by Grantlee Kieza, Sisters In Captivity, Back to Bangka, and The Evacuation of Singapore to The Prison Camps of Sumatra.
All five titles are connected to the World War II tragedy that took place in Mentok, West Bangka.
The visit by the victims' families to West Bangka is part of a series of events marking the 84th anniversary of the fall of Australian and Allied forces in the town of Mentok, as well as an important moment in strengthening humanitarian ties, historical preservation, and international friendship through literacy and historical documentation.
During the visit, the World War II victims' families viewed the various book collections available in the general reading room and the children's reading room.
"The donation of history books containing stories of prisoners of war in Mentok from the victims' families is a form of contribution to historical preservation. We express our appreciation, as these collections will become a valuable source of knowledge for the public and future generations," he said.
He expressed hope that the visit would not only serve as part of historical commemoration activities but also foster good cross-national cooperation.
"This moment also serves as a reminder that libraries provide a space for cross-cultural dialogue, serve as guardians of collective memory, and function as centres of learning about the values of peace and humanity," he said.
He noted that the West Bangka Regional Library continues to encourage young people to read books as an important foundation for critical thinking and empathy.
"In this digital era, with the tendency of young people to be glued to their devices, we address this by continuously creating programmes to make reading enjoyable and meaningful for all ages," he said.
Various activities routinely carried out at the West Bangka Regional Library include literacy visits from kindergarten to senior secondary school level, speed reading programmes, and language corners designed to improve literacy skills as well as foreign language proficiency.
"This is an honour, as the families of World War II victims from Australia visited the Regional Library and donated five books, all of which are related to the history of World War II," said Farouk Yohansyah, Head of the West Bangka Regency Library and Archives Service, in Mentok on Wednesday.
The five history books handed over by the victims' families are White Coolies, Sister Viv by Grantlee Kieza, Sisters In Captivity, Back to Bangka, and The Evacuation of Singapore to The Prison Camps of Sumatra.
All five titles are connected to the World War II tragedy that took place in Mentok, West Bangka.
The visit by the victims' families to West Bangka is part of a series of events marking the 84th anniversary of the fall of Australian and Allied forces in the town of Mentok, as well as an important moment in strengthening humanitarian ties, historical preservation, and international friendship through literacy and historical documentation.
During the visit, the World War II victims' families viewed the various book collections available in the general reading room and the children's reading room.
"The donation of history books containing stories of prisoners of war in Mentok from the victims' families is a form of contribution to historical preservation. We express our appreciation, as these collections will become a valuable source of knowledge for the public and future generations," he said.
He expressed hope that the visit would not only serve as part of historical commemoration activities but also foster good cross-national cooperation.
"This moment also serves as a reminder that libraries provide a space for cross-cultural dialogue, serve as guardians of collective memory, and function as centres of learning about the values of peace and humanity," he said.
He noted that the West Bangka Regional Library continues to encourage young people to read books as an important foundation for critical thinking and empathy.
"In this digital era, with the tendency of young people to be glued to their devices, we address this by continuously creating programmes to make reading enjoyable and meaningful for all ages," he said.
Various activities routinely carried out at the West Bangka Regional Library include literacy visits from kindergarten to senior secondary school level, speed reading programmes, and language corners designed to improve literacy skills as well as foreign language proficiency.