World Book Day

World Book Day has been celebrated around the world since the 1920s. A Catalan bookseller created the day to commemorate Miguel Cervantes and William Shakespeare, who both died on the same day in 1616. According to tradition, men give roses to women and women give books to men. In 1995, UNESCO designated the day as World Book and Copyright Day. UNESCO believes that books deserve their own day as symbols of freedom, solidarity, and peace. The aim is to encourage people to take an interest in reading and to appreciate authors and their work.