WHY READING IS MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER! During the last year when most countries have seen periods of confinement and people have had to limit their time spent outside, books have proved to be powerful tools to combat isolation, reinforce ties between people, expand our horizons, while stimulating our minds and creativity. In some countries the number of books read has doubled. During the month of April and all year round, it is critical to take the time to read on your own or with your children. It is a time to celebrate the importance of reading, foster children's growth as readers and promote a lifelong love of literature and integration into the world of work. Through reading and the celebration of World Book and Copyright Day, 23 April, we can open ourselves to others despite distance, and we can travel thanks to imagination. In the preparation for World Book and Copyright Day, UNESCO encourages you to challenge yourself, to explore new topics, formats, or genres that out of your ordinary. Our goal is to engage people in reading, and to have fun doing so! Now is the opportunity to: As a celebration for this year's World's Book and Copyright Day, UNESCO has created a Bookfacechallenge(link is external). The book covers are incredibly important and play a vital role in our buying decisions. We’re all extremely judgemental about covers. The pandemic has also reminded us all of the importance of books and reading for comfort and escapism, we’ve all needed it this past year. We're always glad to see when a title has been well presented, as a good cover can make or break a title. Join the community of readers for the World Book Day bookfaceChallenge(link is external)! In such circumstances, we invite students, teachers, readers from around the world as well as the book industry and library services to testify and express their love for reading by participing to this challenge. There are also materials for you to use to help engage all communities of readers, individuals and institutions. Whether you want to print and stick them on walls, share them on social media or publish on your website, it helps a lot! Download our communication toolkit. The more people we can reach, the more people may be helped. https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/worldbookday