Have you ever opened a book, begun reading and then instantly disappeared into the pages? If you haven't then you have missed the best adventures in life. Every book has a story to tell. It could be historical, geographical, literary, poetry almost anything. The book will take you to places you have never been to and sometimes can never even dream to be in.
Reading a story set in history will take you back to an age you have not experienced. You can imagine the people of that time, their concerns, their achievements, the kind of houses they lived in, the kind of food they ate. In your mind's eye you visualize the life of people you have never seen. It is the same with any other kind of book. You are immediately transported into another world, and in doing so you experience the magic of the unknow.
It is to celebrate the joy of reading that UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) has set aside April 23 as World Book and Copyright Day. So how did they fix the date? April 23 happens to be the day (in 1616) when three great writers Miguel de Cervantes, William Shakespeare and Inca Garcilasco de la Vega died. It is also the date of birth and death of the other prominent authors such as Maurice Druon, Halldor K. Laxness, Vladimir Nabokov, Josep Pla and Manuel Mejía Vallejo. So, on April 23 UNESCO encourages people the world over to appreciate the power of the written word and also remember those who have made exceptional contributions to Literature. April 23 is also World Copyright Day. According to there website: UNESCO's commitment to copyright dates from as far back as 1952, when the Universal Copyright Convention was adopted.
The advance in technology has many benefits but there is also a downside to it. For example while people queued up outside bookstores to collect their first copy of the highly priced Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, the piracy market was already at work and very soon cheaper books were sold on pavements and even on the roads at traffic lights! It is to prevent this kind of thing that UNESCO finds the need for awareness campaigns to raise the level of protection and also to act as a deterrent to piracy. Every time you buy a book that has been printed in violation of the Copyright Act you are aiding in piracy and violating the Copyright policy. So on April 23 let us all make a promise to read and also support the need for copyright to be protected.
5 comments:
..Ohh World Book Day?didn't know that..Jeevan thanx!
...well,i love reading books so much since i was a kid,i spent my day reading any books we have at home.
...even my first date in highschool was in our school library haha ^_^ yeah,and we just sat there and just stared at each other, acted like we're really reading books coz the strict librarian was walking around the room..haha^_~
...ahh its nice to remember those times ^_^
...and yeah for sure i can't be with anyone who hates books haha..:D
..and now my lil rina showing that she likes it too coz she's enjoying everytime we go to nearbye city library here in our place.
..enjoy weekend Jeevan,
and regards to your cousins.
cheers,
-kathy-
Nice post...after this internet arrival reading books have become real less...
Kathy – me too do the same in my school liberary, we never read any books in liberary, and we will talk and play, if the teacher come near us, we will act like reading. Nice that your kid also like to read books. We are enjoying the holidays.
Shuba – I agree, but there are some loves to read books (like me). :) Thanks
Veda – Thanks, I am addicted to newspapers and magazines. I can’t see a day without reading newspapers and blogging. You have good habit of reading:)
Jeevan, good info, never knew there was a world book day.
I read about piracy and maybe my views differ. in india where the cost of a book may be a weeks salary for a person how do we expect him to read the book. one option is to get heaps of books in govt lending libraries so everyone can read it or after a weeks sale it should come on the platform. we gave the world ayerveda, yoga.... for free no copyright.... and i dont like a single person getting filthy rich on the expense of others. if the actors don't take 2 or 3 crores then the tickets at the cinema halls would be less then video piracy can be prevented. if the books are not priced so much and affordable at indian standards then there will not be book piracy. education should be free
Smiley - I agree, that the original copywriter books cost high. Thanks you:)
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