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Olivia Jones: “We need strong role models, people who are committed and give a loud voice to promoting reading.”
Photo: Marcus Brandt/dpa
The drag queen Olivia Jones was awarded the German Reading Prize in Berlin.
Jones received the special award for prominent commitment "for her exemplary commitment as a fighter for diversity and tolerance and her tireless commitment to promoting reading," as the Reading Foundation in Mainz announced.
“We need strong role models, people who are committed and give a loud voice to promoting reading,” says Jörg F. Maas, general manager of the Reading Foundation.
»Olivia Jones does exactly that and supports her artist family.
Such a valuable contribution to the future of children and young people must be recognized!«
Astrid Kießling-Taskin, board member of the prize sponsor Commerzbank Foundation, also explained that Jones was "a real inspiration - she shows that we can achieve anything if we fight for our dreams."
With her reading campaigns, Jones is making a “tangible difference for young people and educational equality in Germany.”
Last year, Jones helped drag queen Vicky Voyage, who was accused of early sexualization after appearing at a reading for children in Munich.
“A little more calm and less populism would certainly be good for the discussion,” said Jones at the time.
Vicky Voyage had also rejected the allegations: "If these people had read the information about the event carefully, they would have known that it was a child-friendly program," said the artist.
She wants to get children excited about books and show them different ways of life and perspectives.
Jones is considered the most famous drag queen in Germany.
Most recently she was awarded the German Television Prize together with Steffen Hallaschka for the documentary series “Dying for Beginners”.
Jones also published his own children's book and does reading campaigns.
eru/AFP/dpa