World Book Day celebrated

World Book Day was celebrated in more than 100 countries around the world, including Pakistan on Thursday

LAHORE, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Apr, 2026) World Book Day was celebrated in more than 100 countries around the world, including Pakistan on Thursday.

The Day is celebrated every year on April 23 around the world under the auspices of the United Nations, UNESCO. The celebration of this day began in 1995. However, in addition, World Book Day is celebrated on March 4 in the United Kingdom and the United States.

The purpose of celebrating the World Book Day is to promote the reading books and encourage authors who write good books.

The reasons for the lack of promotion of book reading include low literacy rate, low purchasing power of consumers, increasing use of mobile, internet and electronic media for obtaining information, decreasing trend of good books, lack of government patronage and lack of provision of adequate resources for libraries, in addition to the lack of efforts by families and educational institutions to promote book reading.

Noted educationist, critique and poet Professor Dr. Fakhar-al-Haq Noori told APP, "On the World Book Day, we empower wisdom, timeless power of books to inform, inspire, and transform lives."

He said that observed every year on April 23 under the object and theme of promoting the joy of reading, this day reminds all that a single book can spark a lifetime of change.

To a query about book reading habit, Noori said that the history,and glamour of the book is celebrated, while literary activities pop up throughout the Pakistan every year.

On the occasion of World Book Day, booksellers and publishers played an important role by giving high discounts on books, and also distributed many books for free.

It should be noted that a book fair is held every year in Tehran, the capital of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which lasts for about two weeks and more than 2,000 domestic and foreign publishers participate in this book fair and discounts of up to 50 percent are given.

It is worth to note that this day and date was chosen by UNESCO, as the most appropriate date to pay homage to books and their authors and most importantly to show young readers the pleasure and satisfaction of reading and its irreplaceable contribution to social and cultural progress.

It is tradition to give loved ones a present of a rose and a book. "Throughout the streets of global mega-cities you will be able to find acts, book stalls, presentations and general celebrations of literature from around the world."