PARIS, 22nd April, 2017 (WAM) -- The World Book and Copyright Day on23rd April will focus on the blind and the visually impaired who havedifficulty accessing books and other printed materials, constitutingan obstacle to their full and effective participation in society.
According to the World Blind Union, WBU, among the millions of bookspublished worldwide each year, less than 10 percent are published informats that are accessible to the blind, a rate that drops to 1percent in developing countries. The World Book and Copyright Day is celebrated every year on 23rdApril, the date when both William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantesdied. On this occasion, publishing houses, bookstores, libraries,cultural institutions and associations of authors will mobilise acrossthe world to promote reading, publishing and the protection ofintellectual property. "The World Book and Copyright Day is an opportunity to highlight thepower of books to promote our vision of knowledge societies that areinclusive, pluralistic, equitable, open and participatory for allcitizens," said Irina Bokova, Director-General of the United NationsEducational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO, in hermessage on the occasion of World Book and Copyright Day 2017. In accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights ofPersons with Disabilities, UNESCO advocates for the rights and needsof persons with disabilities, and encourages the effective use ofaccessible, adaptive and affordable Information CommunicationsTechnologies, ICTs. In this context, UNESCO is organising a conference on accessibilityissues, titled, "Accessibility, What are the Challenges inPublishing?" on Monday, 24th April from 9am to 12pm, ROOM II, with itspartner, Asfored, a French association for professional training anddevelopment in the field of publishing. The day also marks the beginning of the term of Conakry, capital ofthe Republic of Guinea, as World Book Capital 2017-2018. Conakry hasbeen singled out by UNESCO and its partners because of the quality anddiversity of its programmes, especially its focus on communityinvolvement, as well as for its well-structured budget and cleardevelopment goals with a strong emphasis on youth and literacy. The city of Conakry, along with the rest of the African continent,will be featured during the celebrations that will promote Africanliterature at UNESCOs headquarters on Monday, 24th April. Workshops,activities, reading clubs, musical performances and roundtables willbe organised.Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2017.
