The Hindu Tamizh | A Cut Above the Rest!
World Book Day Reminiscences ❤️
World Book and Copyright Day is celebrated every year on 23rd April, and the day gives us an occasion to observe and to celebrate the importance of books in our lives.
As the UNESCO Official webpage says,
23 April is a symbolic date in world literature. It is the date on which several prominent authors, William Shakespeare, Miguel de Cervantes and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died. This date was a natural choice for UNESCO's General Conference, held in Paris in 1995, to pay a world-wide tribute to books and authors on this date, encouraging everyone to access books.
The Director-General of UNESCO Audrey Azoulay, giving her insightful message on the occasion of World Book Day observes,
Books have long embodied the human capacity to conjure up worlds, both real and imagined, giving voice to the diversity of human experience. They help us share ideas, obtain information and inspire admiration for different cultures, enabling far-reaching forms of dialogue between people across space and time.
The potential of books to advance individual fulfilment and create social change is undeniable. In the words of renowned Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: “To choose to write is to reject silence."
However, yesterday’s mainline newspapers of the day, including Times of India, The Hindu, The Indian Express etc, and even regional dailies like Dinamani, Malayala Manorama etc., did not carry any information on the importance of Reading on the occasion of World Book Day.
With newspaper readership and book readership declining over the years at an alarming rate, it would have been really great and immensely laudable, if the mainline newspapers had taken upon themselves the burden and the commitment of inculcating and promoting the art of reading amongst our younger generation.
Only one newspaper as usual, stood apart in its devotion and dedication to reading.
The Hindu’s Tamil Daily, titled, Hindu Thamizh Thisai.
I’ve always admired the Hindu’s Tamil Daily, titled, Hindu Thamizh Thisai which has been known for its literary sensibilities all along!
Insightful articles by renowned professors have always formed part of their daily routine.
It’s no wonder then that the Hindu Thamizh Thisai has celebrated World Book Day, with a beautiful supplement exclusively meant to honour the occasion.
The Supplement is special to us for many reasons. Just giving us a few, here -
Firstly, there’s a list of 100 books that’s a real lovely recommend for the avid reader.
Secondly,
there’s an article by Mr. Ayesha Natarasan, [popular writer of children's books]
titled, ‘Reading alone Wins’.
He gives five beautiful suggestions or conditions for making our children to taste the joys of reading today.
The last condition is the icing on the cake –
Says he –
When we return from work or from our shopping, what do we do with our footwear? We remove them and keep them at a particular place ain’t we?
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| Have a Place for your Mobile Phone! |
In like fashion, you need to have a place to leave your mobile phone. If you practice doing so, quite soon your home will become a temple of reading.
Beautiful idea, ain’t it?
Finally, there’s an article by Mr. Arun Prasath, Director of the famed Roja Muthiah Research Library, Chennai.
He comes up with this unique idea, that, we should give life to rare books, dying books etc, by coming forward to ‘adopt’ them.
The supplement ends with a peek into Book Tubers on YouTube, who’ve been passionately promoting books on YouTube.
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| The Team! |
More power to you, Kalanjiyam Team @ The Hindu Thamizh Thisai.
You are awesome! ❤️
Pic Courtesy: UNESCO Official WebPage, and The Hindu Tamizh Newspaper
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| Clicked this morn! - With three cheers to all ye readers out there! ❤️ |
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