World Book and Copyright Day | 23 April

Celebrating the UNESCO designated World Book and Copyright Day on 23 April 2016 with special events in many different countries, a conference on Copyright in Europe in Paris (April 22), the launch of the World Book Capital in Poland and commemorating 400 years since the deaths of Shakespeare and Cervantes.

UNESCO World Book and Copyright Day is marked every year on 23 April. It is celebrated 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.

In Poland, meet Wroclaw, the 2016 World Book Capital, with a special programme inaugurating the Year on 23 April.

In the UK and Ireland, it's the moment to celebrate World Book Night. Organised by The Reading Agency, World Book Night brings together a powerful collaboration of national partners – publishers, printers, distributors, libraries, booksellers, private donors, trusts and foundations – to inspire more people to read. Thousands of volunteers share their love of reading by giving out books to people in their communities who, for whatever reason, don’t read for pleasure or own books. National, regional and local events up and down the country celebrate the difference that reading makes to people’s lives.

Pop-up bookfairs organised by ILAB are taking place around the world including in Sydney, Moscow, Japan, Korea, Zurich and Stockholm.

And in 2016 there are special celebrations for the 400th anniversaries of the deaths of Cervantes (22 April) and Shakespeare (23 April). Read more about the legacies of these two giants of European literature on the BBC

Shakespeare 400 and Cervantes 400