Leeds Beckett partners with Calderstones School for World Book Day Event celebrating global storytelling

Leeds Beckett University (LBU) and Calderstones School got into gear for World Book Day 2025 with a joint exploration of tales from around the world on Monday 24 February 2025. Calderstones hosted five global ambassadors from LBU, along with Rachel C. Boyle, Dean of the Carnegie School of Education and pupils from Greenbank Primary School.

Calderstones have been working with LBU's Centre for Race, Education and Decoloniality (CRED) in pursuit of the Anti-Racist School Award and decided to underline how seriously they take their commitment to diversity by taking a different approach to World Book Day.

Rob Davies, Associate Assistant Headteacher at Calderstones School, said: "Viewed through an anti-racist lens, we decided to embrace the world aspect of World Book Day. This year, we offered an opportunity for all students to engage with the day, focusing on books and authors from a variety of languages and cultures and fostering excellent conversations in school about students' mother tongues."

The event saw Calderstones pupils reading books from their home countries in their native languages, while LBU's global ambassadors read in either their native language or English. The LBU ambassadors, Minh Khue Ta (MSc Psychology), Mohammed Faiz Yusuf Patel (MSc International Marketing), Nadhir Messaadia (MSc Project Management), Aibel Rency Philip (MSc Supply Chain Management and Logistics) and Ana Lobos Caro (BA (Hons) Digital Marketing) - also listened to student readings in Arabic, Basque, Farsi, French, Greek, Mandarin, Polish, Russian, Urdu and more, underlining the diversity of the school and its community. The breadth of voices also highlighted the vital importance of cultural representation in education.

Ana, a second year Digital Marketing student at LBU from Chile, enjoyed the warm welcome from the pupils and found the event an incredibly rewarding and meaningful experience: "The enthusiasm they showed for books and storytelling made it clear how important events like World Book Day are in fostering a love of reading and languages. Books allow us to step into the shoes of others and experience different cultures, perspectives and ideas. Literature can be a universal bridge between people from all walks of life."

LBU Global Ambassador Minh Khue Ta, studying for an MSc in Psychology, donned traditional dress for the day, Vietnamese áo dài, and felt that the event helped her background and culture feel recognised: "It shows that schools in the UK are appreciative of international students, allowing them to learn and practice their own culture even far away from home."

Nadhir Messaadia (MSc Project Management) also found it very inspiring, with the engagement and curiosity of the pupils standing out: "I was genuinely surprised by their communication skills and how well they interacted despite their diverse backgrounds. These kids are really smart, and these initiatives help build a more inclusive and connected world."

Rachel C. Boyle, Dean of the Carnegie School of Education at Leeds Beckett added: "Events like this are essential because they promote inclusivity, representation, and meaningful conversations around identity and culture. Calderstones School was an ideal partner due to its commitment to diversity, equity, and anti-racist education. The pupils responded with enthusiasm and pride, many expressing how empowering it was to see their languages and cultures reflected in the books they read. Events like World Book Day play a crucial role in breaking down cultural and language barriers by ensuring that all students feel seen, heard, and valued in their learning experiences."

Learn more about the Carnegie School of Education.