UNESCO to celebrate World Book Day

The UN cultural and educational agency UNESCO will celebrate World Book Day throughout the world, spreading the culture of reading and encouraging the protection of intellectual property and author’s rights. The organisation announced in their press release that 23 April is an historical day, pointing to the fact that in 1616 Miguel de Cervantes, William Shakespeare and Garcilaso de la Vega died on 23 April. Furthermore, the day marks the birthday for a number of other authors including Vladimir Nabokov, Manuel Mejia Vallejo and Halldor Laxness. UNESCO utilises this celebration to promote the value of reading and writing, encouraging people - and particularly youth - to discover the joy of books and to respect the contributions of authors and novelists to the cultural development of societies and humanity. The activities of the 2012 World Book Day will focus on authors' rights and on translation.