Marking World Book and Copyright Day, the head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) highlights the importance of translation to ensuring that everyone has access to the tremendous potential of books.

UNESCO chose April 23 to celebrate World Book and Copyright Day as it also marks the day in 1616 that Britain’s William Shakespeare, Spain’s Miguel de Cervantes and the Peruvian writer “El Inca” Garcilaso de la Vega all died. The prominent writers Vladimir Nabokov, Halldór Laxness, Josep Pla, Maurice Druon and Manuel Mejía Vallejo were also either born or died on this day.

According to AG-IP News, World Book and Copyright Day 2012 focuses on translation as UNESCO marks the 80th anniversary of Index Translationum, a database containing information about published translations provided by national libraries, translators, linguists, researchers and databases worldwide.

In her message to mark the Day, UNESCO’s Director-General, Irina Bokova, said books are “valuable tools” for knowledge-sharing, mutual understanding and openness to others and to the world.

“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,” she noted.

UNESCO launched the celebrations of World Book and Copyright Day in Yerevan, Armenia, which was chosen as World Book Capital for 2012.

See Also

• More about translation
  At Language Translation, Inc., we employ a 3-step process to ensure that your documents are rendered seamlessly and accurately into the languages of your choice, preserving every bit of their original meaning and nuance
• On annual World Book Day, UN stresses importance of translation
  Original news release from UN pressroom.
• UNESCO's World Book Day Celebrations to Focus on Translation (AG-IP News)
  World Book and Copyright Day 2012 focuses on translation as UNESCO marks the 80th anniversary of Index Translationum