SJK (C) HWA NAN, SELEKOH: Books, translation, reading and copyright 图书、翻译、阅读与版权:

Monday, April 23, 2012

Books, translation, reading and copyright 图书、翻译、阅读与版权:

By celebrating this Day throughout the world, UNESCO seeks to promote reading, publishing and the protection of intellectual property through copyright.

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

This is why UNESCO chose this date to pay a worldwide tribute to books and their authors on this date, encouraging everyone, and in particular young people, to discover the pleasure of reading and to gain a renewed respect for the extraordinary contributions of those who have furthered the social and cultural progress of humanity.

The idea for this celebration originated in Catalonia (Spain) where it has become a tradition to give a rose as a gift for each book purchased.

The success of the World Book and Copyright Day will depend primarily on the support received from all parties concerned: authors, publishers, teachers, librarians, public and private institutions, humanitarian NGOs and the mass media.

Translation is the first step towards the rapprochement of peoples, and is also a decentralizing experience, teaching diversity and dialogue. Translation is one of the driving principles of our creative diversity, which enriches each language through contact with all the others.

Irina Bokova, Director General

Message for World Book and Copyright Day 2012

在全世界庆祝这一国际日的目的是为了提高阅读的兴趣、促进出版的发展并以版权促进知识产权的保护。

4月23日，对于世界文学领域是一个具有象征性的日子，因为塞万提斯、莎士比亚和加尔西拉索·德·拉·维加都在1616年的这一天去世。此外，4月23日也是另一些著名作家出生或去世的日子，如莫里斯·德律恩、拉克斯内斯、佛拉吉米尔·纳博科夫、约瑟·普拉和曼努埃尔·梅希亚·巴列霍。

选择这一天，向全世界的书籍和作者致以敬意；选择这一天，鼓励每个人，特别是年轻人，去挖掘发现阅读的乐趣；选择这一天，向那些为人类社会和文明进步做出独特贡献的人们表达尊敬之情，对教科文组织来说，是一件水到渠成的事情。

这一国际日源于加泰罗尼亚4月23日圣乔治日的一项传统，在这一天，每销售一本书籍，都会附赠一朵玫瑰花。世界图书和版权日的成功举办有赖于所有各相关方（作者、出版方、教师、图书馆、私营及公众机构、人道主义非政府组织以及大众媒体）的通力支持。每个国家所有相关方的合作则得到了教科文组织全国委员会、教科文组织俱乐部、中心、协会、联系学校与图书馆以及所有其他愿意参与的团体个人的鼓励支持。