World Book Day Celebrated April 23

ProLiteracy president encourages “reading for pleasure”

April 17, 2008
Syracuse, NY

Adults working to improve their reading, writing, math skills with the help of programs supported by ProLiteracy are encouraged to celebrate International World Book Day by reading something they enjoy, said David C. Harvey, president and CEO of the largest organization of adult basic education and literacy programs in the world.

“I know that people in our member and partner programs are working to gain or improve their reading skills so they can get jobs, support their families, and improve their health. But it’s also important for them to know that reading is not just a source of knowledge, but of pleasure as well,” Harvey said. “I think the day that UNESCO has declared ‘World Book and Copyright Day’ is the perfect time to promote the idea that adults can read for fun, too.”

UNESCO selected April 23 as “World Book and Copyright Day” because on that date in 1616, Miguel Cervantes, William Shakespeare, and historian Inca Garcilaso died. The idea for the day originated in Catalonia, where on St. George’s Day, a gift of a rose was given for every book that was sold. In its resolution declaring World Book Day, the General Conference of UNESCO stated that “books are the most powerful factor in the dissemination of knowledge and the most effective means of preserving it.”

UNESCO estimates that there are more than 750 million adults in the world who are illiterate. The 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy estimated that in the United States alone, 30 million people over the age of 16 don’t read well enough to understand a simple newspaper article or to complete a job application.

“The people who come to ProLiteracy’s member programs in the U.S. and to our partner programs in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe want to learn to read for any number of reasons. They want to get jobs, live healthier lives, resolve conflict in their communities. And sometimes they want to do what every other reader does—curl up with a good book and escape a bit. Even if it’s just for a few minutes, I encourage everyone to do that this April 23,” Harvey said.

About ProLiteracy:
ProLiteracy supports adults and young people in the U.S. and internationally who are learning to read, write, and do basic math by training instructors, publishing instructional materials, and advocating for resources and public policies that support them. ProLiteracy represents more than 3,000 organizational and individual members in the U.S. and works with 125 nongovernmental agencies in 65 countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. The sale of materials produced by ProLiteracy’s publishing division, New Readers Press, support its programs and services. For more information, please go to Proliteracy.org and New Readers Press.