Today is World Book and
Copyright Day, organised by UNESCO to promote reading, publishing and
copyright.
The connection between 23 April and books was first made in
1923 by booksellers in Spain as a way to mark the death date of the author Miguel de Cervantes. In 1995, UNESCO decided to adopt it as World Book and
Copyright Day. The date is also the anniversary of the birth and death of
William Shakespeare.
Unfortunately, this World Book Day is
marked by sadness in Asia. The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, yesterday
presented the people of Myanmar with her condolences following the death of
journalist and poet U Win Tin, laureate of the 2001 UNESCO Guillermo Cano World
Press Freedom Prize.
U Win Tin co-founded Myanmar’s National League for
Democracy in 1988. He was arrested soon afterwards and spent nearly 20
years in prison before being released in 2008. While he was behind bars,
Win Tin continued to advocate for free speech and democracy, even writing a
letter to the United Nations that led to an extension of his sentence.
“The death of U Win Tin is a loss to the people of Myanmar
and to champions of freedom of expression all over the world,” declared Irina Bokova. “It is also a loss for
UNESCO, whose values U Win Tin promoted with exemplary selflessness before his
country embarked on the process of democratisation that is presently underway.”
U Win Tin died on 21 April after being admitted to hospital
because of kidney problems.
On a happier note, you can celebrate World Book Day by
joining in with worldwide debate via UNESCO’s Facebook page: click here.