How to mark World Book And Copyright Day

This year we have noticed that some booksellers are calling the World Book And Copyright Day "World Book Day". This is wrong. I don't know why we in Malta don't refer to the day by its proper name, as officially recognised by Unesco? The dropping of the word "copyright" is a mystery.

Unesco members all agreed and recognised that this day must include "copyright". World Book And Copyright Day is aimed at discouraging "piracy". If we do not observe copyright then piracy takes over and intellectual property will suffer. If we do not respect intellectual property then the author's rights are harmed. Unfortunately, our country still neglects copyright matters, which do not feature high on the enforcement agenda.

World Book And Copyright Day aims at drawing the attention of government bodies as well as the public at large because it reminds us of the importance of knowledge, expression and communication which, despite the emergence of increasingly sophisticated media, remains the basis of active education and critical literal thinking.

Local publishers, authors, librarians and booksellers could take a number of initiatives to celebrate the day, including:

¤ A special "Give a book and a rose" campaign inspired by the beautiful Catalan tradition in Spain;

¤ "The book in the street" celebration, with special World Book And Copyright Day discounts and different authors present to sign copies of their books;

¤ Production of promotional material with the logo designed by Unesco: posters for exhibition in public places such as gardens; flags; stickers; page markers; pins; T-shirts; special postcards, etc.;

¤ Members of the public or booksellers offer any unused/unsold material to libraries, to be donated later to underprivileged sectors of society, hospitals, prisons and refugee camps;

¤ Reading contests for children and young people;

¤ Promotion of young authors by publishers, including literary contests with scholarships for tales, novels and poems;

¤ Sponsoring of young authors' publications and of new professional authors' publications;

¤ Exhibitions and lectures on the book and its production process by local and foreign publishing houses;

¤ Making students and readers more sensitised to copyright in the Maltese islands;

¤ Organising various book exhibitions on specific topics or on the work of a particular author by his/her publishers;

¤ A competition for the best slogan, which could be used the following year during an exhibition or in books fairs;

¤ An "Open Doors Day" at all local libraries especially for those who are not members or never frequent the library, even going as far as offering them a book token and a rose to the ladies. This may stimulate further reading!

¤ Promoting literary events and organising a "Coffee-shop discussion day" with an exhibition of new publications. This would include the participation of authors, readers, students, parents and publishers;

¤ Promoting reading services which could be provided by local libraries in cooperation with local publishing houses in Malta and Gozo;

¤ Local schools, colleges, higher educational institutions and university students could join young volunteers to read books to the sick, the elderly, the blind in hospitals or old peoples' homes.

¤ The media could also take up a number of initiatives which could include the publication of articles and specialised supplements about local and foreign books, reading, the importance of copyright, the incidence of book piracy as well as organise an open day to see the production of books, newspapers and magazines.

¤ Radio and television programmes on books and copyright might take the form of debates, interviews, contests, etc. The future of the printed word in a multi-media society could be proposed as a current event theme.

¤ The creative work of a journalist should not only be supported but encouraged by all.

There are various slogans which can be used for the day. Consider the following: "Get addicted to reading"; "Dare to read"; "Reading, your right to learn"; "Reading develops your mind"; "Respect copyright - encourage creativity in the Maltese islands", "Reading for all ages"; "Open windows to new worlds"; "With more books, more freedom"; "Read for life and expand your life"; "Copyright protects creativity".

I congratulate some schools and bookstores for observing and celebrating this important day but I hope that in future they will all include "copyright" and take into consideration some of the above suggestions. The government should officially name it as the World Book And Copyright Day.

Mr Meli is chairman and founder of Kopjamalt.