At this symbolic date when the great writers Miguel de Cervantes and Shakespeare died in 1616, we celebrate the World Book Day since the UNESCO decided that at its General Conference in 1995. The Organization of Culture and Education of the UN was inspired by the custom of the Catalans giving roses and books on the Saint George’s Day (April 23), the patron of the Autonomous Region of Catalonia.
The General Director of the UNESCO says in her sentence for the celebration of the World Book Day 2014:
«…Our goal is clear – to encourage authors and artists and to ensure that more women and men benefit from literacy and accessible formats, because books are our most powerful forces of poverty eradication and peace building.»
It is clear, we gain a lot from reading, it gives us the possiblity to live several lives instead of only one, it helps us to put ourselves in the other’s place, it opens our horizon, it boosts our imagination, and much more. And if we make good use of our reading time and read in the language that we are learning, we kill two birds with one stone.
I recommend you the website of Albalearning where you will find short stories and poems addressed to people who learn Spanish. The good thing about it is that you can read while you listen to the audio version and it is free.
Photo: I.E.S. Azorín
Author: Anja Dibbert
Todos los días deberían ser el día del libro. No hay nada tan enriquecedor ni que te haga soñar tanto
Gracias por tu comentario Erica. Tienes toda la razón, todos los días deberían ser el día del libro. Afortunadamente podemos decidir nosotros mismos cuánto tiempo al día dedicamos a la lectura y cuánto nos dejamos inspirar por los libros. ¡Saludos!