2015 World Book Day celebrations
Theme: “Come read with me”
World Book and Copyright Day (also known as International Day of the Book or World Book Day) is a yearly event celebrated on 23 April, initiated by UNESCO to promote reading, publishing and copyright. The connection between 23 April and books was first made in 1923 by booksellers in Catalonia, Spain as a way to honour the author Miguel de Cervantes who died on that day. This became a part of the celebrations of the Saint George’s Day (also 23 April). In 1995 UNESCO decided that World Book and Copyright Day would be celebrated on this date because of the Catalonian festival and because the date is also the anniversary of the birth and death of William Shakespeare.
This year's World Book Day celebrations' theme in South Africa is “Come read with me”.
The World Book Day (WBD) national celebrations in South Africa are coordinated by the Centre for the Book, an Outreach Unit of the National Library of South Africa, mandated to promote a culture of reading, writing and publishing in all local languages and easy access to books for all.
The objectives of World Book Day Celebrations are:
- to raise awareness about the importance of reading
- to reach out and give people access to books
- to educate people to take care for their library facilities
- to celebrate books.
The WBD celebrations will be in two fold, the door to door reading campaign and the formal celebrations.
The Door to Door Reading Campaign will take place on 22 April 2015 at Greenspark settlement in Fochville led by the Deputy Minister of the Department of Arts and Culture, Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi, MP. The Door to Door Reading Campaign is an outreach programme to raise awareness about reading and to promote easy access to books. This campaign takes place a day before the actual World Book Day Celebrations on 23 April. Books will be donated to schools, pre-schools, old age centre, correctional centre, identified homes and by-standers who are the ordinary citizens to encourage access to books. The procession is led by a brass band to draw the community’s attention.
The formal event will take place at Boksburg Civic Centre, Ekurhuleni on 23 April 2015. The main aim on this day is to encourage the nation on the importance of reading and encourages everyone to read. The event will be graced by representatives from different sectors and structure including schools, authors, librarians, politicians and civic organisations. Reading activities and other entertainment also form part of the programme to celebrate books.
For media enquiries please contact:
Mr Muponisi Nkuna
Tel: 012 401 9711
Cell: 083 471 0061
E-mail: muponisi.nkuna@nlsa.ac.za
Mr Peter Mbelengwa (Spokesperson for the Deputy Minister of the department of Arts and Culture)
Cell: 082 611 8197
E-mail: petermb@dac.gov.za
