World Book and Copyright Day is a celebration designated by UNESCO at the United Nations. By celebrating this day worldwide, UNESCO seeks to promote reading, publishing and the protection of intellectual property through copyright. The day was first celebrated in 1995. The idea for this holiday originated in Catalonia, where on April 23, the day of St. George the Victorious, a book is traditionally given as a gift.
World Book and Copyright Day is a celebration of books and reading. Every year, on April 23, celebrations are held around the world to recognize the magical power of books – a link between the past and the future, a bridge between generations and between cultures. On this occasion, UNESCO and international organizations representing the three main sectors of the book industry – publishers, book distributors and libraries – select a city as the World Book Capital, which, through its own initiatives, will present the Day’s celebrations until April 23 of the following year.
April 23 is a symbolic date in world literature. It is the date on which several famous authors such as William Shakespeare, Miguel Cervantes and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega died. This date is a natural choice for the UNESCO General Conference, held in Paris in 1995, to give worldwide recognition to books and authors, encouraging everyone to have access to books – the most beautiful invention for sharing ideas across human space and time, as well as the most powerful force for eradicating poverty and building peace.
By supporting books and copyright, UNESCO advocates for creativity, diversity and equal access to knowledge, working across borders – from the network of Creative Cities of Literature to the promotion of literacy and mobile learning and the expansion of open access to scientific knowledge and educational resources. With the active participation of all stakeholders: authors, publishers, teachers, librarians, public and private institutions, humanitarian NGOs and the media, and all those who feel motivated to work together in this global celebration of books and authors, the Day becomes a platform for bringing together millions of people around the world.
Every year, a major celebration is held at UNESCO headquarters. Booksellers, publishers and artists are invited to share their passion for books and reading through hands-on workshops (typography, illustration, bookbinding, manga, etc.) for young people. UNESCO cordially invites you to join us on this journey and to cherish books as a valuable tool for sharing knowledge, mutual understanding and openness to a diverse world.
This year, UNESCO and the entire UN family are commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which includes freedom of expression and the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress. From these rights flows the freedom of publication, first embodied in the 1950 Florence Convention, in which UNESCO calls for cooperation among peoples in all fields of intellectual activity, including “the exchange of publications, works of artistic and scientific interest and other informational material”.
Accordingly, various events of World Book and Copyright Day 2018 will be held around the world to celebrate the power of books to bring us together and to transmit wisdom across cultures. Moreover, a major celebratory event (including seminars, exhibitions, lectures, etc.) will be held at UNESCO Headquarters to bring each of the 30 articles of the Declaration closer to the public, as well as the materials and actions related to them. UNESCO, in partnership with the International Publishers Association, the International Federation of Booksellers and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, cordially invites you to celebrate the gift of of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and thus to affirm the enduring principles and standards of human rights that it helped to establish.
In 2018, Athens, as UNESCO World Book Capital, takes on the promotion of books, reading and organizes activities throughout the year, which begins with the celebration of World Book and Copyright Day on 23 April. The city of Athens was chosen for the quality of its activities, supported by the entire book industry. The proposed program of activities includes meetings with writers, translators and illustrators, concerts, thematic exhibitions, poetry readings and workshops for publishing professionals.
Source: UNESCO (and photo), wikipedia
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