TM
World Book and Copyright Day, otherwise known as World Book Day, is celebrated every year on April 23. The events done to honor the day are organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to promote reading, publishing, and copyright. The holiday was originally invented by Vicente Clavel Andres to honor Miguel de Cervantes, a notable Spanish author.
History of world book and copyright day. Although World Book and Copyright Day was officially inaugurated in 1995, its conception is traceable to Spanish writer, Vicente Clavel Andres, who conceived the idea in 1922. He developed the holiday to pay tribute to the notable author, Miguel de Cervantes. Because Cervantes was born on October 7, World Book Day was celebrated for the first time on October 7, 1926.
However, in 1930, King Alfonso XIII of Spain changed the date to April 23, which is Cervantes’ death date. In Catalonia, Spain, the holiday enjoyed great popularity — especially because April 23 is also the feast day of Saint Jordi or ‘Diada de Sant Jordi,’ the patron saint of Catalonia. On Saint Jordi’s day, gifts are given, and ever since the Barcelona Book Fair of 1931, typical gifts include books and roses. Coincidentally, April 23 also marks the death anniversary of authors William Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega. These factors played a major role in UNESCO selecting April 23 to celebrate its own World Book and Copyright Day in 1995.
The purpose of the holiday is to encourage and promote reading and publishing, as well as advance the protection of intellectual property through copyright. According to UNESCO’s website — “It is a time to celebrate the importance of reading, foster children’s growth as readers, and promote a lifelong love of literature and integration into the world of work. Through reading and the celebration of World Book and Copyright Day, 23 April, we can open ourselves to others despite the distance, and we can travel thanks to the imagination”.
The purpose of this holiday is to encourage reading. If you’d love to celebrate the right way, go ahead and read that book you’ve bought but haven’t had the chance to read.
Gather a few of your friends and start a reading challenge. See who can read the most books within a limited period. Alternatively, you can also challenge yourself to finish a certain number of books every month.
Gunesh YAGMYROV,
1st Year Student of the Faculty of International Law of the
Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.
