Ranjan K Baruah
Contd from previous issue
Since 2000, World Book and Copyright Day has inspired another initiative of professional organizations which receives the assistance of UNESCO and backing from States: World Book Capital City. Each year a city is chosen which undertakes to maintain, through its own initiatives, the impetus of the Day’s celebrations until 23 April of the following year. The Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, named Tbilisi (Georgia) World Book Capital for the year 2021, based on the recommendation of the World Book Capital Advisory Committee.
For promotion of creativity and innovation copyright is important. Copyright and neighboring rights protection is essential for enhancing individual creativity, for the development of cultural industries and the promotion of cultural diversity. Rampant piracy and low level of enforcement of copyright laws destroy the incentives for the creation and distribution of local cultural products in all the countries of the world and reveal the need for concerted efforts to encourage creativity and to foster sustainable development. Now more than ever, at a time when most schools are closed and people have to limit time spent out of their homes, the power of books can be leveraged to combat isolation, to reinforce ties between people, and to expand our horizons, while stimulating our minds and creativity. To mobilize and support learning continuity, UNESCO has established the Global Education Coalition which today counts 160 members working around three central themes: Gender, connectivity and teachers. UNESCO has been promoting books and copyright around the world. We must encourage creativity. It is essential to promote creativity and as we are getting time to be inside homes let us explore more books and make the reading habit. (With direct inputs from UN publication. Feedbacks may be sent to
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