NEIGHBORING cities including Jiangmen, Zhongshan and Dongguan have followed Shenzhen¡¯s example by staging reading-related activities, Chen Wei, chief of the local culture bureau, said Friday.

He said this year¡¯s Shenzhen Reading Month has set an example of organizing public reading-related events for many provinces and cities in China, and more than 20 provinces and cities have drawn from Shenzhen¡¯s experience, providing a fillip to the culture of reading throughout the country, according to Chen.

¡°Some of our neighboring cities were the first followers, who are now holding local reading months or reading festivals. The wave has been spread to other cities and provinces as well, including Qingdao, Chongqing, and provinces like Zhejiang and Jilin,¡± he said.

The Shenzhen model, as analyzed by Wang Jingsheng, head of the Publicity Department of the Shenzhen Municipal Committee of the CPC, involves a rich collection of free events for readers, including forums, lectures, reading and writing competitions, and community study.

Over the past six years, the Reading Month has collected over 10 million yuan (US$1.25 million), which was donated to over 60 schools in the impoverished areas of 20 provinces.

Editor: Yan