World Book and Copyright Day
23rd April is celebrated globally as World Book and Copyright Day. World Book Day was designated by UNESCO as a worldwide celebration of books and reading, and is marked in over 100 countries around the globe.
The connection between 23 April and books was first made in 1923 by booksellers in Spain as a way to honour the author Miguel de Cervantes who died on that day. This became a part of the celebrations of the Saint George's Day (also 23 April) in Catalonia, where it has been traditional since the medieval era for men to give roses to their lovers and since 1925 for the woman to give a book in exchange. Half the yearly sales of books in Catalonia are at this time with over 400,000 sold and exchanged for over 4 million roses.
In 1995, UNESCO decided that the World Book and Copyright Day would be celebrated on this date because of the Catalonian festival and because the date is also the anniversary of the birth and death of William Shakespeare, the death of Miguel de Cervantes, Inca Garcilaso de la Vega and Josep Pla, the birth of Maurice Druon, Vladimir Nabokov, Manuel Mejía Vallejo and Halldór Laxness.
World Book Day is observed to pay a world-wide tribute to books and authors on this date, encouraging everyone, and in particular young people, to discover the pleasure of reading and gain a renewed respect for the irreplaceable contributions of those who have furthered the social and cultural progress of humanity. In this respect, UNESCO created both the World Book and Copyright Day and the UNESCO Prize for Children's and Young People's Literature in the Service of Tolerance.
News Clippings
Rediscover the joy of reading on World Book Day
Asha Chowdary, TNN | Apr 23, 2003, 02.13am ISTMaybe you've loved Austen or enjoyed Dickens — maybe it's Hemingway or Rowling who have held you in their spell. Whatever the book might be, you could show your love for the written word by reading a book today.
It's that time of the year when book lovers across the world unite to celebrate World Book and Copyright day, instituted by UNESCO's general conference in 1995.
They decided that April 23 of every year would be set aside to encourage reading and promote publishing and protection of intellectual property. On this day, many countries hold special ceremonies to mark the day, by way of book readings, conferences and contests.
Here are some facts about World Book and Copyright Day you might not know: The idea for this celebration began in Catalonia, Spain where, on April 23, Saint George's Day, a rose is traditionally given as a gift for each book sold.
The day is a symbolic date in world literature marking the birth or death of noted writers like Miguel de Cervantes, William Shakespeare, Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, K. Laxness, Maurice Druon and others.
UNESCO hoped that by introducing a day like this, they would help young people discover the pleasure of reading and pay tribute to some amazing authors in history.
Some countries celebrate a special Book Day on March 6 as well.
In Bangalore, a few bookstores like Sankars are making the day special with discounts and Harry Potter promotions. Other stores like Strand Book Stall are planning felicitations of authors over the week.
Amar Ujala 23 April 2011
:Ashwani Dubey, Gorakhpur
