Press
Release No.2002-22
MORE THAN 100 COUNTRIES MARK WORLD BOOK DAY
Paris, April 22 - Between 1995 and 1999, the number
of book titles published increased by 50 percent. Books are alive
and doing well.
On April 23, World Book and Copyright
Day will be celebrated with public readings, literary competitions,
exhibitions, poetry, radio programmes and a range of other activities
in libraries, schools, book shops, universities, cultural centres.
More than 100 countries will celebrate the day, which has generated
increasing interest each year since its adoption by UNESCO's General
Conference in 1995
In his message marking the day,
UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura says the occasion
is "devoted to the promotion of reading and writing, in addition
to copyright, which is closely associated, [and] aims to bring
out the various aspects of books, be they creative, industrial,
standard-setting, political, national and international."
From Ghana to Canada, from Norway
to South Africa, these efforts all involve encouraging people
to read, boosting book production, fostering the protection of
intellectual property and studying the impact of new technologies
on the world of books.
World Book Day takes on special
meaning this year, the International Year for Cultural Heritage.
"The celebration of World Book and Copyright Day in 2002
is an opportunity to consider the major contribution of books
to the cultural heritage and thereby spark new initiatives from
the fertile interaction between the pages - be it in printed or
in electronic form - and the cultural wealth of humanity, both
tangible and intangible," said Mr Matsuura.
Books are also a booming business
with more than half a million publishing houses throughout the
world.* Data gathered by UNESCO's Institute of Statistics from
seven countries (Argentina, Canada, Cuba, India, Malaysia, Morocco
and the United Kingdom) in the world's major regions, shows the
number of titles published each year per million people increased
by an average of 50 percent between 1995 and 1999.
The Institute's data puts Argentina
and Cuba well above the average with increases of 70 and 83 percent
respectively. Among the developed countries surveyed, the United
Kingdom, with 7,471 titles per million in 1998 (the latest figures
available), came top of the list, well in front of Canada with
2,947.
Despite this reality, there exists
a glaring imbalance and extreme difficulty of access to books
in a great many of countries, as UNESCO's Member States regularly
reiterate. This justifies the Organization's efforts to promote
national policies for books and reading in developing countries
and those in transition. A world day, such as April 23, serves
to raise public awareness and interest everywhere for books which
remain a key instrument of knowledge and freedom.
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The message of UNESCO's Director-General for World Book and Copyright
Day is accessible on the web at: www.unesco.org/bpi/eng/messages/2002/02-09e.shtml
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* From the Berlin-based
International Standard Book Number (ISBN) agency, which has 161
Member States.
