Frank Kafka once said, “a book must be an ice-axe to break the seas frozen inside our soul.”
A window onto our inner lives, books
are also the doorway to mutual respect and understanding between
people, across all boundaries and differences.
Coming in all forms, books embody the diversity of
human ingenuity, giving shape to the wealth of human experience,
expressing the search for meaning and expression that all women and men
share, that drive all societies forward. Books help weave humanity
together as a single family, holding a past in common, a history and
heritage, to craft a destiny that is shared, where all voices are heard
in the great chorus of human aspiration.
This is what we celebrate on World Book and
Copyright Day, in partnership with the International Publishers
Association, the International Booksellers Federation and the
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions -- the
power of books to nurture creativity and advance dialogue between women
and men of all cultures.
I thank Wroclaw, Poland, as the 2016 World Book
Capital, for its commitment to spreading this message across the globe.
This has never been so important at a time when culture is under attack,
when freedom of expression is threatened, when diversity is challenged
by rising intolerance.
In turbulent times, books embody the human capacity
to conjure up worlds of reality and imagination and express them in
voices of understanding, dialogue and tolerance. They are symbols of
hope and dialogue that we must cherish and defend.
William Shakespeare died on 23 April, 1616, preceded
by only one day by Cervantes. On this day, I call upon all of UNESCO’s
partners to share the message that books are a force to counter, what
Shakespeare called, “the common curse of mankind -- folly and
ignorance.”
AUSTRALIA
SYDNEY: The first ILAB pop-up fair on UNESCO World Book and Copyright Day 2016 will be the final event of an international conference (
Books: Still So Much to Learn and Discover)
for librarians, booksellers and anyone interested in rare books held on
21-22 April at the State Library of New South Wales, and organised by
the
Australian and New Zealand Association of Antiquarian Booksellers (ANZAAB). The day after the conference booksellers will offer rare books, maps and ephemera at the NSW library.
DUNKELD & HAMILTON: Three Victoria booksellers
in the Australian bush are raising funds in their bookshops in the weeks
leading up to World Book and Copyright Day. Roz Greenwood and Marg
Phillips of Roz Greenwood Old & Rare Books and Guy Hamilton of
Bellcourt Books are leading the fundraising efforts.
TOKYO, JAPAN
The World Antiquarian Book Plaza in Tokyo will host a pop-up fair organised by the
Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of Japan
(ABAJ). From Tokyo to Kyoto, Sapporo, Osaka and Kumamoto, Japanese rare
book dealers will also decorate windows to raise money for UNESCO.
KOREA
SEOUL, PUSAN & DAEGU: Find rare and fine books with pop-up fairs in these three Korean cities.
MOSCOW, RUSSIA
There will be a free appraisal day at the Moscow State University of
the Printing Arts. Bring your books, maps, prints and autographs, and
learn their value. There will also be a special exhibition and auction
of books about books at bookshops in Moscow.
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
Antiquarian Auctions and Penguin Random House will host a talk with Susan Buchanan, author of
Burchell’s Travels: The Life, Art and Journeys of William John Burchell, and other experts in the field.
SPAIN
BARCELONA: It is a tradition in Barcelona to offer a
rose for every book bought on St Jorge’s Day, which coincides with
World Book Day. ILAB bookseller Albert Casals and his colleagues will
pop up at the famous La Ramblas, to show books and to raise money.
MADRID: April 23 marks the 400th anniversary of the deaths of
Shakespeare and
Cervantes.
Don Quixote was printed in Madrid by Juan de la Cuesta. At Juan’s
former house, Spanish booksellers will pop up and present rare editions
of Don Quixote and other books about Spanish book history.
ZURICH, SWITZERLAND
At Cabaret Voltaire, where Tristan Tzara, Jean Arp, Hugo Ball, Sophie
Taeuber-Arp, Marcel Janco and others founded the Dada movement in 1916,
Swiss antiquarian booksellers will gather exactly 100 years later for a
pop-up book fair. See a Dada performance and a presentation of rare
first editions.
MUNICH, GERMANY
“Book Tales & Cocktails” was a major success last year, so
Munich’s rare book dealers are repeating the event at Kaufmanns Casino,
where 15 antiquarian booksellers from Bavaria will once again show
extraordinary books. Enjoy music, drinks, finger food, and a lecture on
“Early 20th Century German Publishing” by collector and publisher Klaus
G. Saur.
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
Hungarian booksellers will hold a pop-up book fair at the Institute
Cervantes to marks the 400th anniversary of the author’s death. Support
literacy, see the Don Quixote exhibition and browse bibliophile
treasures.
PARIS, FRANCE
Enjoy free entry to the Salon International du Livre Rare & de
l’Autographe in the Grand Palais on 23 April in exchange for a donation
to UNESCO’s South Sudan literacy project. Look out for the Miguel de
Cervantes exhibition.
NETHERLANDS
AMSTERDAM: Frank Rutten, Sascha Kok and other Amsterdam booksellers are staging a ‘UNESCO Night of the Books’, with music and theater.
HAARLEM: Visit a pop-up book market on Kruisstraat in the historical centre of Haarlem.
GRONINGEN: Antiquariat Isis, ILAB’s only member in
this part of Holland, is staging a special pop-up celebration at
Folkingestraat in Groninge.
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK
Antiquarian booksellers will pop up in the foyers of Copenhagen libraries.
SWEDEN
STOCKHOLM: The Stockholm Culture Night celebrates
art, music, dance and literature throughout the Swedish capital. Look
out for Mats Petterson, Mats Rehnströhm and other Swedish booksellers
popping up at the Royal Swedish Academy of Art to present treasures from
the history of printing in Sweden.
LUND: Pierre Dethorey from
Akarps Antikvariat at Kalkstensvägen 21 is organizing a special exhibition of more than 200 Swedish chapbooks and catch-penny-prints.
OXFORD, UNITED KINGDOM
Booksellers from the
Antiquarian Booksellers Association (ABA) and colleagues in the
Provincial Booksellers’ Association (PBFA) will join together at one of Britain’s largest book fairs, the
Oxford Premier Fair, on April 23 and 24, to support the UNESCO initiative.
UNITED STATES
CHICAGO: Kurt Gippert and fellow Windy City booksellers will hold a pop-up book fair overlooking Lake Michigan.
SEATTLE: ILAB booksellers will be in the Madison Room at the Sorrento Hotel for a pop-up book fair including a six-hour appraisal event.
PORTLAND, OREGON: Join ABAA bookseller Elisabeth Burdon of
Old Imprints and some of her colleagues in celebrating the final ILAB event of World Book Day.
