Several activities have been undertaken in various countries and by different organizations: The Association Hispanothèque (http://hispanotheque.wordpress.com/) will dedicate this day to Sant Jordi and organize on the main square of Montpellier, France (Kiosque Bosc, Esplanade Charles de Gaulle - Saturday, Saturday 23 April from 04:00 to 08:00 pm) an encounter around Hispanic literature and regional languages. Storytellers, poets, strollers, slam poets, students and troubadours will perform on an open stage before giving way to the Legend of Sant Jordi told in Catalan and Castilian. A flamenco concert will close the day. The Association of Publishers and Booksellers of Bosnia and Herzegovina will celebrate the 2011 edition during the 23rd International Book Fair and 11th Biennale of Book that will take place from 20 to 25 April 2011 in Sarajevo. A round table on Copyright and Publishers Rights will be organized on this occasion as well as an awarding ceremony for the best authors and publishers in 2010. Significant writers such as Fjodor Mihailovic Dostojevski, Czeslav Milosz, Augustin Tin Ujevic and Ivo Andric will also be celebrated. The first Congress of Cultural Forum of Bosnia and Herzegovina will also take place on 23 April 2011 and include copyright among its main debates (www.uik.ba). In Bulgaria, the State University for Library Studies and Information Technologies will dedicate a complete week to the World Book and Copyright Day (18-23 April 2011). This week will stress on the recognition of the crucial role of book, reading and education as key factors for the development of personality. Several events will be organized on this occasion: a round table which will discuss issues related to book and copyright; a workshop where students will make their own hand-made books; presentations of books and authors; interviews with young Bulgarian writers; presentations about the protection of copyright in the digital environment; initiation of a group of students on free software; bookcrossing-zone; contests for essays and posters on the theme “the book of my life”; an exhibition of antique, rare and valuable books; lectures of books to children; awarding of prizes for achievements in the field of book protection. (contact: book_celebration@abv.bg) The FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) in Italy will take the occasion of World Book and Copyright Day 2011 to organize an open presentation to all staff on “Copyright issues related to FAO publishing” on Wednesday 20 April (www.fao.org). For the 20th consecutive year, the Café Iruña, the Café La Granja and the Restaurant Ibaigane (Bilbao) celebrated the World Book and Copyright Friday on Friday 15 April by offering their customers a "menu of edible books”. This menu consisted in a mouthwatering list of books from which customers could choose "the more appetizing book" as they choose a dish. This initiative was rewarded in 1996 by the "Paper Lantern" awarded by the Booksellers Association of Bizkaia to those who have worked to develop the vice of reading. A cultural competition was also organized to draw attention to the origin and meaning of the World Book and Copyright Day (rewarded with free meals at the Restaurant Ibaigane) (www.cafesdebilbao.net) In Casablanca (Morocco), the Mundiathèque (Academic Library Mundiapolis University) organizes from 18 to 24 April 2011, as part of its cultural and scientific activities, the 4th edition of its cultural days on "Writing for Youth”. The programme of this event: Exhibition and book signings, and panel discussion and meetings with authors (notably with the writer Kamal Abdelhadi), and art exhibits (paintings of Abdelkrim Belamine). The 2nd Prize “Printemps de l’écriture” will also be organized during the student festival devoted to creative writing (www.mundiapolis.ma) In Karachi (Pakistan), the Pakistan Library Club will organize a powerpoint presentation competition among library professionals and LIS students all over Pakistan on the theme of UNESCO World Book and Copyright Day (http://paklibcouncil.weebly.com/)
In Rome (Italy), Arteventi - a Communication and Event Company -, is organizing for the second year an event to celebrate the World Book and Copyright Day, called "Leggere è Conoscersi" in cooperation with the Municipality of Rome. It will take place on 23 April in two parks in Rome: Villa Borghese and Villa Pamphilj (www.leggereeconoscersi.it) The Mauritius College of the Air (Reduit, Mauritius) celebrates the World Book and Copyright Day by organizing a Share-a-book activity, a presentation on Book Publishing and giving books as prizes, to promote reading, sharing and conversations around books among staff (www.mca.ac.mu). For the third year in row, Sultan Qaboos University (Sultanate of Oman) celebrated the World Book and Copyright Day 2011 by organizing a special event to honor public libraries in Oman. On this occasion, the University provided free copies of its publications to more than 60 public and governmental libraries in Oman. The news on celebration of the World Book and Copyright Day can be found in the local newspapers (in Arabic) http://www.shabiba.com/innerpage.asp?detail=80397 and http://main.omandaily.om/node/50936
In Haiti, the City Hall of Carrefour organized a literary event dedicated to the Haitian novelist Paulette Poujol Oriol (d. March 2011), for students from 23 schools in the Municipality of Carrefour. The objective of this event was to raise awareness and inform students of the important role that reading can play in their academic success. To this end, a conference was organized, as well as debate and exchange workshops, quizzes on Haitian authors and their works, cultural activities (dance, music, recitation of texts) and distribution of Paulette Poujol Oriol’s books. And to end this day, the City Hall wished to establish a link between writing and environment by launching a writing competition to rebuild neighborhoods in Carrefour. The results of this contest, reserved for schoolchildren, will be published on 5 June 2011 on the occasion of the World Environment Day. For more information: http://www.lematinhaiti.com/contenu.php On the occasion of the World Book and Copyright Day, Dubai Public Libraries (United Arab Emirates) have launched several activities between 21 and 28 April 2011. The celebrations were organized in cooperation with other cultural and educational institutions in the city of Dubai. Main activities include lecture reading, book fair, free book donations to individuals and schools, book readings, workshops and games, cultural contests, award giving, poetry reading by famous local poets. Final celebration was held evening on 28 April 2011, which was attended by more than 300 participants including senior officials of Ministry of Youth and Culture, and Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (www.dubaiculture.ae).
In Hong Kong, the non-profit making women organization “Bauhinia Junior Chamber” organized a “Love Reading, Love Sharing” campaign with a series of activities to promote reading and encourage sharing of knowledge learnt in books and also raise funds for building libraries in rural poverty region of China. On 24 April 2011, the Bauhinia Junior Chamber organized a book sharing seminar and invited influential people to share their favourite book. This was also a kick off for the book reading sharing competition: an open competition for all the students to write a letter to children in rural China to recommend them a book and encourage them to read. The book and letters have been sent to the students in the mainland. The event was very successful and received lots of media coverage. The TV station has also documented and broadcast it. The award presentation ceremony took place on 10 July, students were invited to present their books verbally. It was also a fundraising event for raising money to build libraries in rural China schools, where children do not have opportunity to learn and read. http://www.bjc.org.hk/reading (in Chinese)
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