Books are invaluable platforms for freedom of expression and the free flow of information these are essential for all societies today. The future of the book as a cultural object is inseparable from the role of culture in promoting more inclusive and sustainable pathways to development.

World Book and Copyright Day is an opportunity to highlight the power of books to promote our vision of knowledge societies that are inclusive, pluralistic, equitable, open and participatory for all citizens. It is said that how a society treats its most vulnerable is a measure of its humanity. When we apply this measure to the availability of books to those with visual impairments and those with learning or physical disabilities (with different causes), we are confronted with what can only be described as a ‘book famine’.

23 April is a symbolic date for world literature. It is on this date in 1616 that Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died. It is also the date of birth or death of other prominent authors, such as Maurice Druon, Haldor K.Laxness, Vladimir Nabokov, Josep Pla and Manuel Mejía Vallejo.

The Day also marks the beginning of the term of Conakry, capital of the Republic of Guinea, as World Book Capital (2017-2018). Conakry has been singled out by UNESCO and its partners “on account of the quality and diversity of its programme,” in particular ” its focus on community involvement,” as well as “for its well-structured budget and clear development goals with a strong emphasis on youth and literacy.”

The World Assembly of Youth (WAY), recognise that youth, nowadays, are struggling in extremely various situations with diverse traces and perspectives, mental and social growth. In addition, the existence of technology, which with no doubt brings in a lot of amenities into our life, has influenced young people’s preferences on entertainment leading most of them spending lesser leisure-time on reading.

Acknowledging on the challenges encountered in our society today, we urge young people to develop a habit of reading regularly so as to increase their knowledge on various subject matters. Our encouragement towards reading has even gone further than just raising awareness amongst young people as we continue to publish resourceful reading materials such as: news, press releases and even book especially those related to youth issues.

Therefore, through the commemoration of World Book and Copyright Day, we wish to reiterate our intention of encouraging young people to continuously appreciate books and treasure the value obtained by reading them. As we, at WAY, believe that books are the treasure of literacy, they are miraculous in their every word and imaginative sentences.

HAPPY WORLD BOOK AND COPYRIGHT DAY!

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