WORLD Book Day is an annual event which is observed on April 23 to promote love for reading, writing, publishing and copyright globally. On this day, several activities are organised across the world to promote the passion for books and reading. It also works towards creating awareness of and importance of reading.
The first World Book Day was organised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization on April 23, 1965, to coincide with the birth anniversaries of several world-acclaimed writers such as William Shakespeare, Garcilaso de La Vega, and Miguel de Cervantes.
The theme of this year’s World Book Day is “Indigenous languages” and focuses on promoting the diversity in native languages of a country.
World Book Day is being celebrated in Guyana by way of encouraging reading at the National Library and mobile libraries in areas where libraries are not easily accessible. Emphasis is also placed on the preservation of Indigenous languages with a view to bridging the learning and communication gaps between hinterland and coastal regions.
The importance of books cannot be overemphasised. Books, it is said, are the storehouses of knowledge. As Lyndon B Johnson once said, “A book is the most effective weapon against intolerance and ignorance.”
In similar vein, Charles William Eliot said: “Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counsellors and the most patient of teachers.”
The theme of this year’s World Book Day is of particular relevance to Guyana, given our ethnic and cultural diversity. And even though English is the official language, there are several Indigenous communities which still communicate in their respective Indigenous languages and dialects.
Unfortunately, many of the Indigenous languages in the world are at risk of dying out. Guyana is, however, fortunate in that it still has nine Indigenous languages. The Ministry of Education has been making efforts to promote the teaching of Wapishana children in their own language at the primary level, with the aim of improving literacy levels.
According to Education Minister Priya Manickchand, there are plans to expand the teaching of the Wapichan language in several communities in the South Rupununi.
The aim is to seek to bridge the language gap to enable hinterland children to learn in their native languages. Among the several plans are the training of teachers in several of the communities to deliver the ministry’s curriculum in the native tongue.
Guyana has a relatively high literacy rate. This is due in large measure to the several initiatives taken by the Education Ministry to encourage and promote reading, especially at the nursery and primary levels.
