What is world book day?
World Book Day is an annual event celebrated on April 23rd to promote reading, publishing, and copyright. The day was first established by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1995 to recognize books and inspire people to unleash the delight of reading and has since become a global event. It is celebrated every year on April 23rd as it is also the death anniversary of popular authors like William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes.
In some countries, this Day is also known as World Book and Copyright Day, and it is celebrated with different activities and events that focus on encouraging literacy, and the love of reading. Some common world book day activities include book fairs, author talks, storytelling sessions, book giveaways, and book-themed events.
Importance of world book day
Here are some of the reasons for the importance of World Book Day:
- Promotes literacy: World Book Day encourages people of all ages to read more and discover the joys of literature. There are many benefits of reading. Some of them include improving cognitive function, expanding vocabulary, and reducing stress.
- Celebrates cultural diversity: Books are an important tool for preserving cultural heritage and promoting diversity. World Book Day celebrates the role of books in promoting cross-cultural understanding and encourages people to explore books from different cultures and backgrounds.
- Supports the publishing industry: World Book Day promotes the publishing industry and raises awareness of the importance of intellectual property rights. It helps to highlight the work of publishers, authors, and other literary professionals and encourages people to respect their rights.
- Inspires creativity: Reading books can inspire creativity and imagination. World Book Day motivates people to explore new books and categories and to find inspiration in the stories they read.
- Encourages lifelong learning: World Book Day promotes lifelong learning and encourages people to continue reading and exploring new ideas throughout their lives. It encourages people to keep learning and growing intellectually, which is essential for personal and professional development.
World book day Theme
Each year, the World Book Day theme is different and is chosen by UNESCO. The world book day theme may focus on a particular genre of literature, such as poetry or non-fiction, or it may focus on a wider topic, such as the importance of reading for children or the role of books in encouraging cultural diversity.
Each theme is chosen to highlight a particular aspect of reading, literature, and the role of books in society. They serve as a reminder of the significance of books and reading and inspire people to explore new ideas and viewpoints through literature.
Here are some of the world book day theme that has been chosen in the past:
- 2021: Share a Story
- 2020: How to grow a reader
- 2019: Books and Reading for the Smallest Ones
- 2018: Reading, it’s my right!
- 2017: Foster reading culture for the youth to succeed in education and lifelong learning
- 2016: Books and Copyright
- 2015: Books for sustainable development
- 2014: Books – a door to the World
- 2013: Books for peace
7 different ways to celebrate
Listed below are some fun world book day activities
- Host a book swap: Organize a book swap event with friends or colleagues. Ask everyone to bring a book they have already read and exchange it with someone else’s book. This can be a good method to identify new authors and books.
- Organize a reading marathon: Challenge yourself to read as many books as possible on World Book Day. This can be done by setting a target for the number of books one wants to read in a day or week or month and tracking the progress throughout.
- Create a book club: Start a book club with friends or colleagues and meet regularly to discuss the books you have read. You can even choose a book to read together on World Book Day and have a special discussion about it.
- Donate books to a local library or charity: Collect books that you no longer need and donate them to a local library or charity. This can help promote literacy and reading in your community.
- Write a book review: Choose a book you recently read and write a review about it. Share your review on social media or a book review website to help others discover new books.
- Dress up as your favourite book character: Celebrate World Book Day by dressing up as your favourite book character. This can be an enjoyable way to exhibit your love for literature and creativity.
- Read to children: Read a book to a child on World Book Day. It can be your own child or any other child you know in your neighbourhood. Sharing your love of reading with children can inspire them to become lifelong readers.
Conclusion
In conclusion, World Book Day is a global event which also acts as an opportunity for people around the world to recognise the power of books and the written words, explore new books and genres, and appreciate the role of literature in promoting cultural diversity and lifelong learning. Through various world book day activities and events, this day motivates people to discover the pleasures of reading and to support the publishing industry and the rights of authors and other literature professionals. With each year’s theme chosen by UNESCO, the importance of world book day continues to highlight the significance of books and reading in our society and promote a culture of reading and intellectual exploration.
We, at Euroschool understand the significance of reading and that it has many benefits, including improving cognitive function, expanding vocabulary, and reducing stress. We encourage our students to develop an interest in reading and learn from them.
