April 23 marks World Book and Copyright Day. Also known as World Book Day.

It is an annual celebration initiated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to promote reading, publishing, and copyright.

The first ever World Book Day was celebrated on April 23, 1995.

The date as decided by UNESCO as it was also the death and birth anniversary of William Shakespeare, a world famous author. The date also coincided with the death anniversary of Miguel de Cervantes, who was a noted Spanish author.

As acclaimed author Alan Bennett once said: “A book is a device to ignite the imagination.” On World Book and Copyright Day, let's seize the occasion to pick your favorite book and celebrate the joy of reading!

(By Liuqin/Fanying)