On the 23rd of April, UNESCO celebrates World Book And Copyright day. This day is dedicated to commemorating the death anniversary of some of the world’s renowned book authors and writers. These include famous writers like;
- William Shakespeare
- Miguel De Cervantes
- Josep Pla
- Maurice Druon
- Vladimir Nabokov
- Inca Garcilaso de la Vega
The above-mentioned writers have contributed immensely to the world of literature. Hence, world institutions like UNESCO believe that it is our responsibility to pay tribute to these writers, and to books all around the world. And most importantly pay tribute to the copyright laws that ensure the authenticity and originality of the books.
So, one may wonder what people actually do on this day? Let us discuss this question first.
How Is ‘World Book And Copyright Day Celebrated?
“World Book and Copyright Day” is celebrated by promoting cultural integration vis-a-vis the reading of various books. The aim is to promote the concept of reading and ensure that people diversify their reading habits. And study books from other languages and cultures.
Instigating Sentiments Of International Cooperation Vis-a-vis Books
The purpose of these activities is to instigate sentiments of international cooperation and cultural unity within the prevailing diversification of the world community. Friendship within the world community is very important. Thereby, using a medium that brings together diverse cultures is the goal. And books are those elements that connect people and bring them together.
Reading of Books
The events taking place on World Book and Copyright Day mainly include the reading of books. Moreover, various famous plays by William Shakespeare are performed. The bookmarks are also distributed. Various literary competitions are held, allowing teams from various countries to participate in these competitions. And the ones that perform the best are awarded prizes and other gifts.
Promoting Copyright Laws
Another important thing that needs to be mentioned here is that UNESCO takes pride in promoting the actions of the copyright laws. They believe that every book is the intellectual property of the writer. Hence, one should respect that. And authorities should ensure that the intellectual property of others is protected.
Prize Distribution Ceremony Aims To Promote World Peace
There are certain awards distributed on this particular day. For instance, “Young People’s Literature In The Service of Tolerance”. This award is dedicated to people who write books and novels that carry a specific message. That message has to promote the concept of mutual understanding between people.
There is enough violence and hatred in the world. We do not need it being advocated in the books as well. Hence, storytelling through the medium of books should be about tranquility, understanding, and love between people.
Books Transcend Cultures And Language Barriers
Moreover, the aim of novels and books is not just to entertain people. Books transcend cultures and language barriers. They are the gateway to world peace if utilized properly. But the important thing is to promote and advocate only those books that showcase love, respect, and tolerance for other people, their culture, and traditions.
UNESCO Aims To Create Awareness
There are many books that are written to promote peace and cultural integration. But the reality is that they never get to receive the world’s attention. The reason is that some do not have good publishers, or some do not even get to be published. Therefore, the platform created by UNESCO is so important because they create that attention when the entire world is watching. And that is something worth commending.
Significance of World Book And Copyright Day Post Covid-19
Recent times have shown that life cannot be taken as granted. TheCovid-19 era restricted the free flow of human interaction. And confined humans within the space of their homes.
Humans needed to occupy themselves and maintain their sanity. Hence, a lot started to read books.
Books Fight Isolation
Experts state that books are the best weapon to fight isolation. They provide comfort and companionship. Moreover, people get the chance to replenish their relationships between their peers, friends, and families.
Books Give New Perspectives And Ideas
Books also provide an opportunity to ameliorate human thinking. They provide new perspectives and ideas. And give a new approach to looking at things. It not only steers the human creative minds but for once allows it to be used as an important tool. According to some statistics, the number of books has been tripled post the Covid period.
April is a month that signifies reading. UNESCO and world institutions celebrate this day so that people all around the world understand the importance of reading and especially reading with family.
Celebrating Book Authors
Reading has always been considered an important activity. However, this day commemorates the people who have contributed to books. And have given the world the opportunity to read books. Hence, that is what is celebrated during the month of April.
Promoting Art Of Literature
Moreover, it is also important to promote the art of literature. And showcase how it has helped ameliorate society. If it wasn’t for literature, and the fervent dedication of authors who have written tremendous literary books, this society would not have been able to shape itself, the way it has now.
Diminishing Distances Between Different Communities
Moreover, World Book and copyright day which is celebrated on the 23rd of April helps to diminish the distances between different communities because this is the time when the imagination has a chance to integrate. If thousands of people are reading one book, it means thousands of different minds are able to perceive the book in different ways.
Getting Out Of The Comfort Zone
UNESCO celebrates World Book Day by encouraging people to challenge themselves. And how can they do that? They can research new topics. Topics that they haven’t been considered reading before. UNESCO wants people to jump out of their comfort zone and read something that they will never have read otherwise.
The sole purpose of these activities is to ensure that reading is celebrated rather than taken as a hard labor job. And most important, it is enjoyed.
UNESCO’S Bookface Challenge
To celebrate World Book and Copyright Day, UNESCO has established a BookFace Challenge.
Studying Brand New Topics
In this challenge, UNESCO asks the aspirants to study brand-new topics or genres that they have never studied before. Moreover, books should be completely out of a person’s interest. If a person is used to reading non-fiction, he should go for fiction. And the ones that read fiction should try to explore their creative side as well.
Judging The Book By Its Cover
One fun fact about the Bookface challenge is that people often judge the book by its cover. Hence, it’s very important that the cover of the book is attractive. An attractive cover grasps the attention of the reader. And that is the single most important thing when a book is purchased. If the book cover is good, a person might purchase that book without even reading its index. That is the power of the book cover.
Inviting Teachers, Students, And Librarians To Attend The Workshop
So basically, in this challenge, UNESCO takes the initiative to invite different teachers and professors, students, and communities of readers to join the workshop. And give their opinion on different book covers. If they have better ideas on how to make the book cover more attractive, then they should give that.
Once you do that, the next thing is to showcase your recommended book cover to the rest of the world. You can do this by sharing on different social media platforms. Or publish it on websites as well.
Conclusion
23rd April is a day when UNESCO takes the initiative to celebrate World Book and Copyright Day. This day is celebrated to promote books. And appreciate the people who have written some of the most renowned literary books.
It is a symbolic date, considering some of the world’s greatest authors died on this particular date. By remembering them, and the work that they have done, UNESCO aims to keep their spirit alive. Hence, we as a community should take part in that as well.
+1 925-978-8211
Chinese
