Peter Maffay and Hendrikje Balsmeyer launch reading campaign

Singer Peter Maffay and his wife, children's book author Hendrikje Balsmeyer, have launched a new reading campaign in Munich in partnership with the Stiftung Lesen and Thalia. The initiative aims to encourage more people to read and read aloud during their daily routines to combat a literacy crisis in Germany.

According to recent PISA studies, one in three adolescents in Germany lacks sufficient reading proficiency. The campaign seeks to reach people in everyday settings, such as public transit, to promote the benefits of reading. Maffay highlighted the importance of daily reading rituals, noting that reading to his seven-year-old daughter, Anouk, is a vital part of their family life.