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World Book and Copyright Day
23 April

"Freedom of circulation is also an essential requirement for everyone to have access to books. Translation of course plays a significant role in the transmission of knowledge derived from books. Innovative publishing policies that meet the needs and aspirations of every human being are, however, also required."

Message from Irina Bokova
Director-General of UNESCO
23 April 2010




 23 April is a symbolic date for world literature for on this date in 1616, Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died. It is also the date of birth or death of other prominent authors such as Maurice Druon, Haldor K.Laxness, Vladimir Nabokov, Josep Pla and Manuel Mejía Vallejo.

It was a natural choice for UNESCO's General Conference, held in Paris in 1995, to pay a world-wide tribute to books and authors on this date, encouraging everyone, and in particular young people, to discover the pleasure of reading and gain a renewed respect for the irreplaceable contributions of those who have furthered the social and cultural progress of humanity. In this respect, UNESCO created both the World Book and Copyright Day and the UNESCO Prize for Children's and Young People's Literature in the Service of Tolerance.

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