UNESCO Director-General's MESSAGE
ON THE OCCASION OF WORLD BOOK AND COPYRIGHT DAY - 23 April 2000
Paris, 19 April 2000 {No.2000-34} - On the occasion of World Book and Copyright Day,
celebrated on April 23, UNESCO Director General Koïchiro Matsuura, has
issued the following statement:
"Five years ago the General Conference of UNESCO decided to proclaim 23rd
April "World Book and Copyright Day". All over the world, government
authorities and professionals - publishers, booksellers, librarians,
teachers and writers - as well as a constantly growing public, have pooled
their efforts to pay tribute to books and copyright, which are so intimately
linked. In over 80 countries, millions of people, including those living in
conditions of poverty and violence, have come together to demonstrate their
attachment to books, symbols of hope and life.
"At a time when new information technologies are replacing or complementing
traditional methods of production and dissemination, the future of the book
remains in the hands of the readers. To highlight the importance of reading
is to invite each partner in the book chain to strengthen the links between
books and people, thus rendering these links solid and permanent.
"The development, protection, and free circulation of books as both economic
and cultural goods, as well as their production and accessibility at a price
affordable by all, should be one of our priorities. Book publishing as an
instrument of cultural diversity should be encouraged and authors should
continue to benefit from rights which are internationally recognised as
theirs.
"One of the essential tasks of books is to serve education. The latter
should have at its disposal additional material so that all learners may
develop and nurture a close and lasting relationship with the written word.
Donations of appropriate, good-quality books, especially to children and
young people in disadvantaged areas, would help ensure a more just sharing
of knowledge and would encourage mutual understanding and respect among
peoples.
"The production and acquisition of books alone is not enough. We are deeply
convinced that the greater the number of people that have access to reading,
the greater the possibility for self-expression, for exposure to the ideas
and cultures of others. Only then would the conditions for tolerance, mutual
understanding and peace be created in the minds of human beings. Hope should
be something we can write and read."
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