The man behind Colombia’s donkey-transported mobile library, “Biblioburro,” received accolades on U.S. television this week, featuring on both news network CNN and chat-show Larry King Live, reported El Heraldo on Thursday.
Luis Soriano, a Colombian who runs a traveling library which he transports between villages on the back of his two donkeys, Alfa and Beto, came to the world’s attention in 2009 after director Carlos Rendon Zipagauta made a documentary about his work.
Soriano this week won recognition for his benevolent, if quirky, mission, on CNN’s “Heroes” feature, and was named by American television pundit Larry King as “Person of the Day” on his weekly chat show.
According to CNN, “Luis Soriano is far from being a crazy clown. On the contrary, this is a man with the altruistic aim to save children from severe illiteracy.”
In a short documentary that was shown on the American TV shows Soriano said, “There was a time when many people thought I was crazy … They shouted that the carnival had passed … but I’ve overcome all that.”
The original “Biblioburro” documentary is currently being made into a feature-length film, scheduled for release later this year.