Dear Editor,

Reading in today’s digital-driven world is fast losing steam. For many students learning to read has become a burden.

Boys, in particular, are not readily drawn to reading. Research indicates that boys tend to be tactile learners and this is perhaps one factor that can explain their dislike for reading.

Disturbingly, boys who display school smarts are often ridiculed as effeminate by peers and even adults in areas where academic excellence by males is typically devalued. It is almost as if manhood and masculinity have been hijacked by a thug culture far removed from education.

Global education systems need to be more creative in finding ways to encourage all students to read. Celebrated every year on April 23, World Book and Copyright Day or World Book Day is an occasion to promote the joy of books and the art of reading. This year’s theme is ‘Read Your Way’. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) states that books, in all their forms, allow us to learn and keep ourselves informed. They also entertain us and help us to understand the world, while offering a window into otherness.

For books to unleash their full potential, it is essential that they reflect the linguistic diversity of our world. However, this is far from being the case today; the majority of works are published in just a handful of languages and digital technology raises the issue of linguistic homogenisation. UNESCO supports the publishing sector and the power of reading through its network of World Book Capitals, designed to reinforce literacy education and promote the protection of copyright and freedom of expression.

Strasbourg, France, has been designated the World Book Capital of 2024. The objective is to make books the preferred medium for both communicating the environmental concerns of our time and sharing the associated scientific knowledge.

Reading should be fun and not seen as a chore. Undoubtedly, reading facilities a sense of diversity and tolerance among cultures and peoples. World Book Day marks worldwide celebrations to recognise the scope of books as a link between the past and the future as well as being a cultural and generational bridge. We must be mindful that there are many stakeholders involved in getting a book from the manuscript stage to the final product. As a result we must celebrate the hard work of our authors, publishers, teachers, librarians, and both traditional and non-traditional media.

Copyright (or author’s right) is a legal term used to describe the rights that creators have over their literary and artistic works. Works covered by copyright range from books, music, paintings, sculpture, and films to computer programs, databases, advertisements, maps, and technical drawings.

World Book and Copyright Day has over the years become a platform to galvanise and motivate millions of people across the globe to read. Books are powerful and have the power to share ideas and knowledge, to inspire and educate. They help us imagine a better world in which crime, violence, and exploitation have no place. Books are not only rich sources of information, but they can provide us with reassurance in times of uncertainty and despair. Books can transport us to new places and in so doing enrich our lives.

Wayne Campbell

waykam@yahoo.com