April 23 – World Book and Copyright Day

Annually on April 23, the whole world celebrates the World Book and Copyright Day. The holiday urged to remind inhabitants of our planet about a valuable and irreplaceable role of books in education, culture, science and formation of a person.

The World Book and Copyright Day date is connected with the birth and death of famous writers (William Shakespeare, Miguel de Cervantes, Inca Garcilaso de la Vega Maurice Druon, Manuel Mejía Vallejo and Vladimir Nabokov).

Considering this, in 1995 in Paris at the General Conference of UNESCO it was decided to pay this day a tribute of respect to books and authors, urging everybody, and especially young people to find pleasure in reading and to respect the essential contribution of those who promoted social and cultural progress of mankind. Then the World Book and Copyright Day and the Award of UNESCO for propagation of ideals of tolerance in the children's and youthful literature were founded.

During the last years in Russia the Book Day gains the increasing popularity. All over the country fairs and forums are held. The Russian Book Union and the International Union of Bibliophiles organise cultural-entertaining programs. At solemn ceremonies names of the best writers and publishers of the year are announced, they are given the state premiums and awards.