A Celebration of the Power of Books
Books are like a window onto another world – with each new page, they introduce us to new people, new cultures and new ideas. Every year, on 23 April, UNESCO celebrates World Book and Copyright Day in recognition of the power of books as a bridge between generations and across cultures. In India, also, this date is recognized as World Book day.
Every year, as part of celebrations for World Book and Copyright Day, a World Book Capital is selected by UNESCO and international organizations representing the major sectors of the book industry – publishers, booksellers and libraries participate. Selected cities promote books and reading for all age groups and across all of society, in the host country and beyond.
To date, UNESCO has designated 26 World Book Capitals, from Madrid, Spain, in 2001, to Rabat, Morocco, in 2026. (source: Unesco.org/en/days/world-book-and-copyright)
History of World Book and Copyright Day
The history of World Book and Copyright Day serves as a tribute to the power of books and the rights of authors.
The origin of this special day dates back to 1922 when Vicente Clavel Andres, a publisher from Barcelona, Spain, proposed celebrating a day dedicated to books to honour the famous novelist Miguel de Cervantes.
The first celebration occurred on October 7, 1926, coinciding with Cervantes’ birthday. However, to commemorate the deaths of several literary giants, including Cervantes, William Shakespeare, and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, UNESCO decided to mark April 23 as World Book and Copyright Day in 1995.
This day was chosen because of its literary significance and to encourage everyone to explore the joys of reading. It also recognizes the contributions of authors to societal and cultural progress and celebrates the essence of reading, the importance of books, and authors’ rights over their works.
World Book and Copyright Day involve various activities designed to promote reading and the cultural aspects of books, ranging from book donations and reading challenges to public readings and events to increase awareness of copyright laws. This special day is not just a celebration of books and authors but a reminder of the impact of literature on society. It serves as an opportunity for people to recognize the transformative power of reading books.
As a matter of particular interest to Catholics, Saint George is the patron saint of Catalonia, Spain. Saint George’s Day), also known as El Dia de la Rosa (The Day of the Rose), or El Dia del Llibre (The Day of the Book), or the Day of Books and Roses is on 23rd April. In Catalonia the main activity is the exchange of roses and books between sweethearts, loved ones and colleagues. From the 1920’s, men gave women roses, and women gave men a book to celebrate the occasion – “a rose for love and a book forever.” The fair of roses was called the lovers’ fair because it was attended by engaged and recently married couples. In modern times, the mutual exchange of books is also customary. Spain, exported this day dedicated to Books to the rest of the world.
Books, truly are the light of knowledge. For Catholics, there is no better book to read than the Bible. It provides us the Word of God, nourishes us for the journey of life and is a lamp to our feet. It might seem daunting to go through the entire Bible, where does one start? I have found the Bible Diary, which gives the daily Readings for Mass very helpful. Going through the readings the day before, and once more just before Mass, helps me understand and internalise the message of the homily more. Attending Daily Mass, first thing in the morning, helps me carry on with these learnings , aided with the nourishment of the Eucharist, throughout the day.
In addition to reading the Bible diary, joining a Catholic Bible study group, conducted by a Father or catholic Preacher recognised by the Church, helps deepen understanding of the Bible.
This knowledge of Him, can and must also be supplemented by spiritual reading of good Catholic magazines like the Tabor Kirana and Spiritual Classics.
In the book, Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic, by Mathew Kelly, he states that 7 percent of Catholic Christians are involved in 80 percent of their Parish activities actively. I am sure you have met such dynamic Catholics in your parish, they stand out for their total involvement and commitment.
The four signs that make them Dynamic, according to Mathew Kelly, are Prayer, Study, Generosity and Evangelisation. I am just dwelling on the Study aspect in this article.
On Study, Mathew Kelly says if we can just read five pages of a Christian book a day we would have read 225 books over a 20 year period. Imagine the compounded knowledge and insights gained over time.
The spiritual Christian classics are timeless. I have been fortunate to get hold of some of the books in the collection of my late Priest Uncle who passed more than 40 years ago. Each of his books, has his name written on the inside cover in his beautiful flowing handwriting. St Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life, is one of the books in his collection that I can return to time and again.
In my early childhood, in order to sustain my voracious reading habits, my parents had to ferry me from library to library. I am really grateful they did that, and from my love of reading, sprung one of my vocations today, being a catholic writer.
The advent of the Internet makes reading Christian classics recenltly, There are sites such as Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org) where one can read many Christian Classics free including Holy Father Pope Leo’s favourite book, Practice of the Presence of God, by Brother Lawrence.
One may think, where does one get the time to read in our 24* 7 always on digital world? It is always possible to grab a few minutes in a day and indulge in some spiritual Christian reading. You might find you like a particular style, for example, I love the modern Catholic writers like Thomas Merton and Henri Nouwen for their reflective prose. There is nothing I like better at the end of a long tiring day, to lose myself in the words of those who searched and found Him. This helps me get closer to Him too.
Try it, you will love the knowledge it brings you, illuminating the path towards Him, a bit more clearly.
All spiritual growth comes from reading and reflection (St. Isidore, bishop (560-636 A.D.).
