World Book Day 2023: Explore it's significance, history and meaning

World Book Day is an annual charity event that began with an intention to promote reading in 1995. UNESCO organised the day with the intention to give "an opportunity to recognise the power of books to change our lives for the better and to support books and those who produce them."

The aim of World Book Day is to get people, especially children, to come together and celebrate the joy of reading books.

When is World Book Day in 2023?

The tradition to celebrate books and reading started when the very first World Book Day was held by UNESCO in 1995. It is celebrated in more than 100 countries across the world.

World Book Day in the U.K. and Ireland is celebrated on the first Thursday in March. This year, it falls on March 2. The first World Book Day in the U.K. and Ireland was officially celebrated in 1997. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the event.

World Book Day is celebrated on April 23 in many countries around the world, however, the U.K. opted for a different date. This is because the original date was conflicting with St. George's Day as well as Easter school holidays.

The theme for World Book Day 2023

The theme for World Book Day 2023 is making it 'your' World Book Day.

"Since it was first celebrated in the UK and Ireland over 25 years ago, the day has grown to become an essential calendar fixture for schools, settings and communities. It provides a fantastic opportunity to focus on reading for pleasure, supporting children's autonomy in book choice, and embedding a habit of reading that brings a wide range of benefits," the National Literacy Trust stated.

Why is World Book Day important?

World Book Day is primarily intended for children, however, individuals of any age can participate. The National Literacy Trust has reported that over 7 million individuals in England, equivalent to 16.4 percent of the adult population, are categorised as having very poor literacy skills. Therefore, the participation of anyone and everyone is encouraged.

Although kids usually dress up as their favourite character from the books to celebrate World Book Day, the main aim of the day is to encourage children to develop a passion for reading while exploring different genres they may not have previously encountered.

Reading offers numerous benefits for children, both in academic and personal development. It is also useful to adults, and can help expand one's vocabulary, concentration and knowledge.

How to take part in World Book Day 2023

World Book Day is celebrated by schools across the country with many activities which include a dress-up day.

There are many ways for you to join in the celebrations, some of the ideas as as follows:

• Dress up as your favourite character from the books.
• Write a review of your favourite book.
• Hold a competition to guess how many books there are in your school library.
• Exchange a book to read with your friends, classmates, or colleagues to share your interests and get to know each other better.
• If you are an adult, you can also host a read-a-thon to raise money for a meaningful charity, or simply to encourage your close ones to spend some time reading together.

An opportunity for children and young individuals to own a book

National Book Tokens, who have been sponsoring World Book Day for over two decades, is offering a variety of £1 books for sale that can be purchased with money or National Book Tokens received through school.

According to the World Book Day website, these £1 books were an important part of their mission to promote reading for pleasure. This is an opportunity for children who might not have their own books at home to have to pick and own their first book.