2. THE BOOK DAY
• World Book Day is a yearly event celebrated
on the 23rd of April, organized by UNESCO to
promote reading, publishing and copyright.
• World Book Day was celebrated for the first
time on the 23rd of April 1995.
3. This day was chosen to commemorate the books,
promoting culture and protection of intellectual
property through copyright. The proposal was
presented by the International Union.
4. ORIGIN OF THE DATE
• Traditionally it has been said that April the 23rd
marks the day of the book.
• It is said that on the 23rd of April of 1616 Miguel
de Cervantes and William Shakespeare
died, even though this isn’t accurate.
5. • Cervantes died on the 22nd of April and was buried
on 23rd of April according the Gregorian calendar.
• Shakespeare died on the 23rd of April by the Julian
calendar.
• Shakespeare actually died eleven days after
Cervantes because they had different calendars.
6. THE BOOK DAY IN SPAIN
• Libraries, museums and other cultural
institutions usually organize special
activities to mark the date.
• In Catalonia the day coincides with the
festival of Sant Jordi.
7. • On that day the highest literary
award that is granted in the
field of Spanish (Cervantes
Prize) is delivered.
8. THE BOOK DAY IN ENGLAND
• All the children in the UK that go to school
get a voucher to get a free book worth 1£
or get a discount of 1£ off any book.
9. SHAKESPEARE AND CERVANTES
• Miguel de Cervantes, nicknamed "Prince of
Wits“, is the novelist, play writer and poet best
known of Spain.
10. • His greatest work, Don Quixote, considered
to be the first modern European novel, is a
classic of Western literature, and is
regarded amongst the best works of fiction
ever written.
11. • William Shakespeare was an English poet,
play writer and actor, known as the greatest
writer in the English Language and the world’s
most important dramatist.
12. • He wrote mainly tragedies, including Hamlet,
King Lear, Othello and Macbeth, considered
some of the finest works in the English
Language.
13. • Shakeapeare’s work has made a lasting
impression on later theatre and literature. In
particular, he expanded the dramatic
potential of characterisation, plot, language
and genre.
