World Book and Copyright Day 2022: Know history, significance, theme, quotes & why is it celebrated

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World Book and Copyright Day 2022 is celebrated each year on 23 April 2022 across the world. This day is symbolic in world literature. It is the date on which several prominent authors, William Shakespeare, Miguel de Cervantes and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died. The day is marked by UNESCO and other international organizations to celebrate the scope and benefits of reading books. "Indeed, books are vital vehicles to access, transmit and promote education, science, culture and information worldwide," said the Director-General of UNESCO, on the occasion.

Theme:

This year the theme of World Book and Copyright Day 2022 is 'Read…So you never feel alone.'

History:

The idea to dedicate a day for the celebration of books was first conceived by the Valencian writer Vicente Clavel Andres to pay respect to the author Miguel de Cervantes (author of Don Quixote).

Firstly, Andres celebrated the day on October 7 to mark the birth anniversary of Cervantes, and later on April 23 to mark his death anniversary. It was in 1995, UNESCO decided to celebrate World Book and Copyright Day worldwide on April 23 as several renowned authors like Miguel de Cervantes, William Shakespeare, and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega breathed their last.

Significance:

UNESCO celebrates the day to pay honour to three major sectors of the publishing industry - publishers, booksellers and libraries. On this day, UNESCO calls on its partners to share the message that books are a force to address contemporary challenges, to understand political and economic realities, and combat inequalities and misinformation.

According to UNESCO, the Mexican city of Guadalajara is chosen as the World Book Capital for 2022. Each year celebrations take place all over the world to recognize the scope of books - a link between the past and the future, a bridge between generations and across cultures. 

Here are some interesting quotes on books for World Book and Copyright Day 2022:

• "Books are a uniquely portable magic"- Stephen King
• "I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library." - Jane Austen in Pride and Prejudice
• "Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world"- Malala Yousafzai
• "That’s the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet."- Jhumpa Lahiri in The Namesake