World Book and Copyright Day

When it comes to educating younger generations, storytelling is a very successful strategy. Books are, without a doubt, essential vehicles for accessing, transmitting, and promoting education, science, culture, and information across the world.

Every year on April 23 – the anniversary of the deaths of three great authors of world literature, Miguel de Cervantes, William Shakespeare, and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega – To honour their enthralling ability to inspire creativity, knowledge, and alter minds. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) organises World Book Day, also known as World Book and Copyright Day or International Day of the Book, every year to encourage reading, publishing, and copyright. The inaugural World Book Day was held on April 23, 1995, and it is now observed on that day. In March, the United Kingdom and Ireland observe a comparable event.  On World Book and Copyright Day, UNESCO, in collaboration with an advisory council representing the various sectors of the book business, chooses the World Book Capital for a year. Each World Book Capital City organises a series of events to commemorate and promote books and reading.

Why it is celebrated on April 23, 2022?

Vicente Clavel Andrés, a Spanish writer, came up with the notion in 1922 as a means to honour the novelist Miguel de Cervantes. It was initially commemorated on Cervantes’ birthday, October 7, 1926, before being changed to his death date, April 23, 1930. The festival has remained popular in Spain, particularly in Catalonia, where it coincides with the Diada de Sant Jordi, Catalonia’s patron saint. The Diada normally entails the exchanging of presents between loved ones, and the gifts have been a book and a rose since the 1931 Book Fair in Barcelona.

The World Book and Copyright Day were established by UNESCO in 1995, on the 23rd of April, to commemorate the deaths of William Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, as well as the births and deaths of several other notable authors. (In a historical coincidence, Shakespeare and Cervantes died on the same day — 23 April 1616 — but not on the same day, because Spain and England used different calendars at the time; Shakespeare died 10 days after Cervantes, on 3 May of the Gregorian calendar.)

Theme and idea behind The World Book and Copyright Day

The fundamental goal of World Book Day is to share the joy of reading with as many people as possible. The event’s theme this year is “Read so you never feel low.” The goal is to increase the number of people who read and to recognise the variety of books available.

Tbilisi, Georgia, has been named the World Book Capital for 2021, according to UNESCO.

Every year, UNESCO and other international organisations representing the three primary sectors of the book business, publishers, booksellers, and libraries, choose the World Book Capital for a one-year term.

To commemorate this unique day, UNESCO established a book face challenge last year. The government issued an official statement.

“Book covers are highly significant and play a key influence in our purchase decisions,” the organisation stated. We’re all snobs when it comes to covers. The pandemic has also reminded us all of the importance of books and reading for comfort and escapism, which we’ve all needed this year…in these circumstances, we invite students, teachers, and readers from all over the world, as well as the book industry and library services, to testify and express their love for reading by participating in this challenge.”