The phrase “the young are not reading” is one of those modern dystopian cliches like “the politicians have become estranged from the people” or “humanity is hurtling towards its destruction”. Not that this sentence is always wrong. Yet it is worth remembering that this complaint is merely an echo of the age-old grumbling about “the youth of today”. It has always been so and at one point, the youth transitions into something else and sees that it is the new generation that invites complaints. When it comes to reading, however, two things are worth bearing in mind. First, things are probably not that bad. Second, to prove – and improve – this, the HeadRead festival created a platform for the youngest authors to allow them to earn their first stripes in public performing. Come and take note – perhaps then you can say in a few decades that “I saw their first performance!”. Performers: Kristel Zimmer, Aaro Abolkaln, Karl Birnbaum, Frederik Küüts, Erik Joonas Juhandi, Marite Rikkas, Roberta Bühler, Karoliine Pruul, Mariann Jüriorg and Meril Liis Kütt.
