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Every year on April 23rd, the world celebrates World Book and Copyright Day, which aims to promote the importance and enjoyment of reading and writing. Celebrations and events are held around the world to support creativity and culture and promote diversity in access to knowledge. Let's talk more about World Reading Day.
World Reading Day
UNESCO chooses a capital of the book every year to be the main center of the celebration, and April 23 is chosen because it is a symbolic day in world literature, as several prominent authors such as William Shakespeare, Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, and Miguel de Cervantes died on Reading Day.
Through this day, the organization seeks to support writers and authors and recognize their efforts in spreading and promoting knowledge. A book is a bridge that connects people and inspires readers to travel far and wide.
During the month of April and throughout the year, we can make time to read both individually and collectively. Celebrating this day is an opportunity to promote the culture of reading and instill a love of literature in the hearts of children, thus contributing to the development of their mental abilities and broadening their horizons.
Through reading, we can alleviate loneliness and strengthen social bonds. Everyone is encouraged to share their experiences and express their love of reading on this special day, whether through community events or social media.
Let's enjoy the magic of books and share the joy of reading on this special day.
History of World Reading Day
World Reading Day, or World Book and Copyright Day, was first celebrated in 1995, when UNESCO established this celebration on April 23 every year. The date was chosen due to the anniversary of the death of some of the world's most prominent authors and writers, making it a symbolic day to celebrate books and engage people in events that promote a culture of reading.
Before this day was established, there were previous contributions and attempts to celebrate such an occasion. Writer Vicente Clavell Andrés proposed celebrating the occasion on a day that honored the author Miguel de Cervantes, either on his birthday on October 7 or on the day of his death on April 23. Despite these suggestions, April 23 was chosen because of the coinciding death dates of several prominent authors, including William Shakespeare, Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, William Wordsworth, and David Halberstam.
It is worth noting that April 23 is not only a symbolic day for the death of great authors, but also the birth of other important writers, such as Manuel Mejía Vallejo and Maurice Drone. Celebrations of World Reading Day vary across the world, with local events promoting the love of reading and its importance in cultural and social life.
Celebrating World Reading Day around the world
Celebrations of World Reading Day are a diverse issue around the world, as not all countries have standardized the date of the celebration. In Spain, they started celebrating World Book Day as early as 1926, choosing October 7, the birthday of Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes, but the date was later changed to April 23.
In Sweden, World Book Day is known as Vrldsbokdagen and used to be celebrated on April 23, but the date was changed between 2000 and 2011 to April 13 to avoid overlapping with Easter.
In the UK and Ireland, World Reading Day is celebrated on the first Tuesday in March, but some organizations hold events on April 23, with the Reading Charity launching a celebratory event on this day called World Reading Night.
In the United States, World Reading Day is celebrated on the Sunday closest to April 26. These variations show how cultural and historical the backgrounds that characterize reading celebrations around the world are.
Importance of Reading Day
World Book and Copyright Day is an opportunity to promote the joy of reading and enjoying books. Every year on April 23, the world celebrates the magic of books, a link between the past and the future, a bridge that connects generations and crosses cultural boundaries.
UNESCO and international book industry stakeholders - publishers, booksellers and libraries - are organizing celebrations that include the selection of a World Book Capital that will keep the positive momentum of the festivities going into next year.
On April 23, we remember a symbolic date in the world of world literature, as it marks the death of several notable writers such as William Shakespeare, Miguel de Cervantes, and Alaina Garcilaso de la Vega. This selection highlights the importance of authors and encourages reading to discover the joy of learning and to respect the unique contributions of writers to the progress of humanity.
This day is an opportunity to promote the culture of reading and motivate young people to explore the world through the pages of books. Books are a bridge between individuals and generations, promoting cross-cultural understanding and communication.
Let's celebrate this symbolic day that honors books and authors and promotes the power of reading in weaving our history and future.
By supporting books and authors' rights, UNESCO seeks to defend creativity, promote diversity and ensure equal access to knowledge. From supporting the Creative Cities Network in the field of literature to promoting literacy and harnessing technological capabilities through mobile devices, we continue to strive for open access to scientific knowledge and pedagogical resources.
World Book and Copyright Day has become a platform that brings together millions of people around the world, thanks to the active participation of all stakeholders. This includes publishers, teachers, librarians, public and private institutions, humanitarian NGOs, the media, and all those who are motivated to participate in this global celebration of books and authors.
The main celebration is organized at UNESCO headquarters, where booksellers, publishing companies and artists are invited to share their feelings about books and reading. This invitation includes organizing training workshops for young people in various fields such as typography, illustration, bookbinding, comics, and many other initiatives that promote the love of reading and the value of books.
UNESCO wholeheartedly invites you to participate in this global celebration of Reading Day and promote the role of books as a valuable means of sharing knowledge and promoting understanding and openness in a diverse world.