World Book Day 2022: Date, History, Theme, and How to Celebrate
“When you read a book, you open doors to new ideas, new thoughts, new stories, new worlds. You also emerge, renewed and wiser.”
World book day is celebrated on April 23 as World Book and Copyright Day. It is an opportunity to pay honour to books and authors while encouraging people to discover the joy of reading. It also helps us bridge the gap between the past and the future, connecting generations and cultures. It is believed that this would lead to a greater respect for people who have made significant contributions to social and cultural progress.
World Book Day 2022 also promotes UNESCO's support for education, science, culture, creativity, diversity, and accessibility of information of scientific knowledge and educational materials. Besides, another important intention behind World Book and Copyright Day is to increase people's understanding of copyright laws and other intellectual property protection measures.
On this occasion, UNESCO along with international organisations which represent the three major sectors of the book industry - publishers, booksellers, and libraries - will choose World Book Capital for a year to maintain the momentum of the Day's celebrations through its own initiatives.
This year, the Mexican city of Guadalajara will take on the mantle of World Book Capital, with a year-long programme focusing on the role of books and reading in triggering social change, fighting violence, and promoting a culture of peace.
Why is World Book Day Celebrated On April 23 Across the Globe?
The World book day date is on April 23 every year as it is an important day in the world of literature. It is the date of the deaths of several great authors, including William Shakespeare, Miguel Cervantes, and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega. Hence this particular day became the apt choice at UNESCO's General Conference, held in Paris in 1995, to pay a tribute to books and authors worldwide while inspiring and encouraging everyone to read.
Reading is important because it helps us develop our thoughts, gives us knowledge, and keeps our minds engaged. Books, unlike anything else in the world, can hold and keep all types of knowledge, stories, thoughts, and feelings. The impact of a book in helping us learn and understand things cannot be ignored.
World Book Day 2022: Theme
Last year, UNESCO created a bookface challenge to celebrate World Book Day. An official statement read, "The book covers are incredibly important and play a vital role in our buying decisions. The pandemic has reminded us of the importance of books and reading for comfort and escapism." It was also an invitation to students, teachers, and readers from all around the world, as well as the book industry and library services, to testify and express their love of reading by taking part in this challenge.
This year, the major aim of World Book Day 2022 is to spread the love and pleasure of reading. So, the theme is "Read, so you never feel low." The purpose is to build enthusiasm for reading and recognise the diversity of books.
Quotes that Inspire Your Kids to Read Books
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.”— Dr. Seuss, “I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!”
“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.” — Frederick Douglass
“Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.” – Margaret Fuller
“Reading without reflecting is like eating without digesting.” – Edmund Burke
“Books are a uniquely portable magic.” – Stephen King
“To learn to read is to light a fire” — Victor Hugo, Les Miserables
“The reading of all good books is like conversation with the finest (people) of the past centuries.” – Descartes
“If you are going to get anywhere in life you have to read a lot of books.” – Roald Dahl
Some Books For kids to Begin their Reading Journey
Our country has a rich storytelling heritage. Religions, languages, politics, and geographies have all inspired ancient epic poems, classic fables, humorous tales, and amazing new adventures. Here are a few books that include all. On this occasion of World Book Day 2022, you can take up the challenge of reading five books this year.
Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth by Sanjay Patel
Tiger in My Soup by Kashmira Sheth
Monsoon by Uma Krishnaswami
Mama’s Saris by Pooja Makhijani
Pattan’s Pumpkin by Chitra Soundar
The Runaway Peppercorn by Suchitra Ramadurai
Amma Tell Me Series by Bhakti Mathur
Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie
Mayil Will Not Be Quiet! by Niveditha Subramaniam and Sowmya Rajendran
The Serpent’s Revenge: Unusual Tales from the Mahabharata by Sudha Murty
Fortunately, Vedantu has come up with Vedantu Super-readers, an Online reading classes to bridge the gap between reading and learning for kids.
So, are you a bookworm? What else can you do on this special day? Below are a few ideas that you can try and share with your dear ones too.
Since it’s World Book Day, visiting the nearest library would be amazing. Spending the day with fellow bibliophiles won’t be a bad idea, right?
You can also organise your book collection at home and may grab the favourite one out of the pile once again.
You can donate some books to an NGO or a library.
If not any of the above, prepare a list of five of your favourite books and share with you friends and family.
Once again, a very Happy World Book Day to all!
