TV5 Online News Contributor and renowned author Jessica Zafra underscored the importance of reading books and its impact to the world in her recent lecture held at Southville International School and Colleges.

Dubbed as “Ten Essential Books You Must Read To Be A Citizen of the World,” the event aimed to bring out the students’ love for reading and at the same time instill in them their invaluable role in changing the world for the better.

“It was an awakening experience for me. I am not much of a reader but the forum made me start reading. Now I appreciate more Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo,” shares Arvin Cham, Third Year, BS Information Technology student.

Ms. Zafra’s ten essential books include (1) Hamilton’s Mythology; (2) Shakespeare’s comedic play Much Ado About Nothing; (3) novel English Jane Eyre; (4) Dangerous Liaisons; (5) epic high fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings – The Fellowship of the Ring; (6) Russian Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment; (7) Rashomon from Japan; (8) Edith Wharton’s 12th novel The Age of Innocence; (9)Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and (10)El Filibusterismo. Ms. Zafra iterated that her selections do not follow any particular rank.

The forum was one of the activities held to celebrate Southville’s 24th Founding Anniversary.

“We are planning to organize more events to encourage reading. After all, reading is must have for survival in the digital era and we extend this not only to our students but to the community as well,” says Mr. Roderick Ramos, Library Coordinator.