1995, UNESCO declared April 23rd as "World Reading Day". This day is the anniversary of the death of Cervantes and Shakespeare, a famous English writer. According to the data, since the announcement of World Reading Day, more than 100 countries and regions have participated in this activity. Many countries will carry out colorful activities on this day, week or month. During this period, libraries, media, publishing houses, schools, shops, communities and other institutions and groups will do some things to encourage people to read, such as giving books, reading, acting, etc., and turn the publicity activities of reading into a lively and happy festival. Many people who have lived abroad have talked about these activities and praised them, calling on our country to hold similar activities.

According to library journal, World Book Day originated from a legend in Catalonia, Spain: a beautiful princess was trapped in the mountains by a dragon, and the warrior George defeated the dragon alone and rescued the princess; The present that the princess gave George was a book. Become a symbol of courage and strength from this book. April 23rd became "St George's Day".

1997 65438+ 10, Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China, the Ministry of Culture, the State Education Commission, the State Science and Technology Commission, the Ministry of Radio, Film and Television, the General Administration of Press and Publication, the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League and the All-China Women's Federation jointly issued the Notice on Organizing the Implementation of Knowledge Project in China, proposing the implementation of "nationwide reading construction".

In 2000, the leading group of the national knowledge project designated 65438+February as "National Reading Month" every year, which is a major project to implement the national knowledge project. In recent years, various publicity activities have been organized all over the country. ?

In 2004, the National Leading Group for Knowledge Engineering entrusted library society of china to hold the annual National Reading Month. In order to implement the "knowledge project" with the aim of "advocating universal reading and building a reading society", library society of china has further stimulated the reading enthusiasm of the whole people, promoted the construction of a learning society, a learning organization and a learning family, and held large-scale activities nationwide to let the public know about "World Reading Day".

Book Capital of the World

In addition, in order to increase public interest in reading and promote book publishing, UNESCO launched the World Book Capital Plan under the framework of 200 1 World Book Day, and declared Madrid, the capital of Spain, as the World Book Capital on 200 1. Since then, a city has been awarded the title of "Book Capital of the World" by UNESCO every year.

The cities that have been elected as "World Book Capital" over the years include Madrid (Spain, 200 1), Alexandria (Egypt, 2002), New Delhi (India, 2003), Antwerp (Belgium, 2004), Montreal (Canada, 2005) and Turin (Italy, 2005).