As The Gambia and the global community set to celebrate this year’s World Copyright and Book Day on 23rd April 2022, with the theme “Are You A Reader”, The Copyright Office of The Gambia under the National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC), wish everyone happy celebrations in advance with prayers for more and more people at domestic, regional and international level turning to their books within the framework of nurturing the culture of reading that has the potentials of promoting and protecting the art of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.
The World Book and Copyright Day is annually celebrated on April 23rd meant to celebrate the birth and death of range of well known writers not limited to Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Maurice Druon, Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, Haldor Kiljan Laxness, Manuel Mejía Vallejo, Vladimir Nabokov, Josep Pla, William Shakespeare among other prominent authors across the world, including The Gambia. Such was the rationale behind UNESCO chose the date with a view to pay tribute to books, the authors who wrote them and the copyright laws that protect them.
The theme for this year’s celebration is very important, significant and dear to heart of every book loving and intellectual oriented mind as it was the first word revealed to the Holy Prophet of Islam by Angel Gibril “Iqra” read in the name of your Lord, despite the Holy Prophet at the time was not lettered, but with persistent pressured for him to read, he did not only ended up reading, but also mastered and commit the Holy Quran to memory.
Objectives
The World Book and Copyright Day is an occasion meant to pay a worldwide tribute to books and authors and to also encourage people across the globe to discover the pleasure of reading with the hope that, such will lead to the renewed respect for those who have made irreplaceable contributions to social and cultural progress of the globe. It is also hoped that, World Book and Copyright Day will increase people’s understanding, appreciation, adherence and respect for copyright laws and other measures meant to promote and protect intellectual property rights, especially copyright and related rights.
As such, owing to observance of the Holy Month of Ramadan, The Copyright Office of The Gambia under the National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC), rescheduled celebration of this year’s day to May 2022 with details to be communicated to public, especially stakeholders of the Copyright Industries.
By Sanna Jawara, Head of Copyright Office of The Gambia.