PURPOSE: The World Book and Copyright Day has been held annually on April 23rd since 1995 to promote the enjoyment of books and reading. Celebrations take place all over the world to recognize the scope of books - a link between the past and the future, a bridge between generations and across cultures. Today; It is critical to take the time to read on your own or with your children. The day is also a time to celebrate the importance of Reading, foster children's growth as readers, and promote a lifelong love of Literature and integration into the world of work.
FORUM: "The power of books." World Book and Copyright Day 2026. Books have the power to transport us to new worlds, broaden our horizons, and promote open and inclusive societies. For this occasion let’s highlight the Copyright and Related Rights of authors. The UNESCO Regional offices invite students, teachers, and readers from around the world, as well as the whole book industry and library services, to testify and express their love for reading. Activities will include readings of books and plays; the distribution of bookmarks; the announcement of the winners of literary competitions. Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #reading, #WorldBookDay, #CopyrightDay, #WorldBookCapitalCity, #23april, #WorldBookandCopyrightDay.
EVENTS: April 23rd marks World Book and Copyright Day 2026. For Africa, the occasion highlights the journey of its literature, the struggles of its authors, and the continent's growing contribution to global storytelling.During the day, we will explore the status of books in Africa in a digital era that has largely re-written information consumption. We also share a selection of African books worth reading. Watch the documentary entitled ''Turning pages in a digital age.'' 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. 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. In a recent statement, UNESCO highlighted Rabat's commitment to fostering the book industry and encouraging reading through its 54 publishing houses; it also hosts Africa's third-largest international book fair. Rabat aims to come up with various initiatives to improve access to books, bolster the local publishing sector, and advance literacy among all age groups and demographics, both nationally and internationally. The statement added that the celebrations are set to commence on April 23, 2026, coinciding with the World Book and Copyright Day. As Rabat Opens Book Capital Year, Minister Says Books Shape Society Morocco’s Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation said the launch of the new Rabat book fair edition comes at a defining cultural moment, as the capital begins its year as UNESCO’s “World Book Capital 2026.”
on April 23rd, At UNOV; To celebrate the World Book and Copyright Day 2026, the IAEA, UNOV, and CTBTO will jointly host a variety of in-person and virtual events. See below for the agenda or to register to attend.
09:30 – 10:30; Tour IAEA Archives IAEA Meeting Point A04 Elevators.
10:30 – 11:00 Presentation From metadata to full text: how INIS delivers nuclear knowledge worldwide Ms Olga Vakula (IAEA) F0146 – IAEA Lise Meitner Library & Online. 11:15 – 12:00 Daughters’ day event.
Chinese calligraphy workshop (only for registered daughters) IAEA F0146 – IAEA Lise Meitner Library.
11:30 – 14:00 Event Meet and Greet IAEA Publishing Section and Archives, UNOV, CTBTO libraries hosted by IAEA, CTBTO, UNOV; A Building ground floor & Cafeteria.
12:00 – 13:00 Event Library Tour & Meet and Greet the Library and INIS Teams IAEA F0146 – IAEA Lise Meitner Library.
14:00 – 14:30 Opening Remarks IAEA DDG-NE and DDG-MT.
UNESCO Representative Ms Klara Koštal, Head of Department: Diversity of Cultural Expressions F0146 – IAEA Lise Meitner Library.
14:30 – 15:15 Talk Future Needs Wisdom: a personal view on the future of research under the spell of AI Prof. Helga Nowotny F0146 – IAEA Lise Meitner Library.
15:15 – 15:45 Closing World Book and Copyright Day Remarks followed by light refreshments IAEA F0146 – IAEA Lise Meitner Library.
We look forward to your participation!
ACTIVITIES: We invite students, teachers, readers from around the world as well as the book industry and library services to testify and express their love for reading by participating to this challenge. Join the community of readers for the World Book Day bookfaceChallenge!
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STATEMENTS: “In celebrating World Book and Copyright Day, we are not only celebrating books as objects. We are celebrating the ecosystems they sustain and the ways in which they continue to anchor reflection, imagination, and shared understanding even in a deeply digital world.” Statement of the Director of the UNESCO Office in the Caribbean on World Book and Copyright Day 2026, April 23rd.
“The book is the basis, the source and the starting point of science and knowledge, books shape students’ scientific, critical, and analytical thinking while also supporting psychological balance, intellectual balance and social balance. Rabat fully deserves the international recognition, describing the Moroccan capital as one of the most beautiful capitals in the world and stressing that the title should serve as more than a symbolic distinction. Ppromoting books cannot remain the job of schools alone. He called on families, universities, civil society groups, and Moroccans at large to help build a stronger culture of reading and writing from an early age, saying that preserving Morocco’s identity and civilization depends on giving books the place they deserve.” the Morocco’s Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation told.
PUBLICATIONS: UNESCO's World Book Policy and its Impacts. In order to promote the pleasure of books and reading, UNESCO is organizing a collection of books for the benefit of Libraries Without Borders (LWB), an NGO which helps to promotes access for vulnerable populations to education, culture and information. Learn more about the Books for All: a Programme of Action.
PODCASTS: On this occasion, UNESCO and the international organizations representing the three major sectors of the book industry - publishers, booksellers and libraries, select the World Book Capital for a year to maintain, through its own initiatives, the impetus of the Day’s celebrations. Listen to the audio-podcasts!
CAMPAIGN MATERIALS: “Promote the pleasure of reading and Find an effective way of skill up the next generation. “ Each year a poster is designed and distributed around the world. It features images designed to encourage people, particularly children, to read books and appreciate literature.
KID CORNERS: Want to read a book!, Get to your district library, ask the librarian, which activities are organized to celebrate the WORLD BOOK AND COPYRIGHT DAY. Recommended reading lists with the best book titles to optimize your K-12 school's digital library collection.
WHY WE CELEBRATE THE DAY?
World Book and Copyright Day celebrates ‘fundamental importance’ of literature; It is an occasion to pay a worldwide tribute to books and authors and to encourage people to discover the pleasure of reading. In some years, the UNESCO Prize for Children's and Young People's Literature in the Service of Tolerance is awarded. We hoped that the Day will increase people's understanding of and adherence to copyright laws and other measures to protect intellectual copyright. Mass media institutions of the press, radio and television are essential elements in mobilizing public involvement in undertakings for books. The media can provide reports on local and national initiatives and give increased attention to book reviews, they can arrange discussions programme involving authors, critics and readers to help focus attention on the latest important literary events. Adaptation of books for television, cinema and radio can also be an excellent means of awakening interest. The periodical and specialized press can conduct as well as publicize studies of reading habits. Special notice can be given by the media to children's literature and the reaction of the young to the printed word.
ACTIONS
A range of activities to promote the cultural aspects of books are held all over the world. Many of these emphasize international cooperation or friendships between countries.
Some actions help to promote the understanding of laws on copyright and the protection of authors' intellectual property. Librarians desmonstrate how the Use modern technologies help to promote reading among young people, Book publishers also show to participants how to transform books into digital games, thus ensuring access to books for all.
The SDG Book Club is expanding and we are excited to see SDG reading lists for children from around the world. In addition to the SDG Book Club in the UN’s six official languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish) there are now chapters in other languages.
Visit the SDG Book Club Chapters listed below : AFRICA, BRAZIL, GERMANY, INDONESIA, NETHERLANDS, NORWAY, PORTUGAL.
PARTNERS
The World Book and Copyright Day is hosted by the UNESCO Regional Offices; The International Publisher Association (IPA); The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), the European & International Booksellers Federation (EIBF), the World Intellectual Property Organizations (WIPO).
With the collaboration of the National Book Development Council of Singapore (NBDCS), the London Book Fair, the Bologna Children’s Book Fair (BCBF), the American Library Association (ALA), the National Library of Australia, the National Library of New Zealand (Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa), the Russian Book Union, the Lesotho Book Development Council, and the Ghana Book Development Council (GBDC).
With the participation of the Civil Society Organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations, Academicians, Librarians, Publishers, authors and writers.