World Book and Copyright Day on April 23

• UNESCO celebrates World Book and Copyright Day April 23 in recognition of the power of books as a bridge between generations and across cultures.

• Every year, as part of celebrations for World Book and Copyright Day, a World Book Capital is selected by UNESCO and international organisations representing the major sectors of the book industry — publishers, booksellers and libraries. 

• Rabat in Morocco has been designated as World Book Capital for 2026.

• With 54 publishing houses, the third largest international book and publishing fair in Africa and a growing number of bookstores, Rabat’s book industry is not only a vital part of the city’s creative economy but also at the forefront of democratizing knowledge. 

• As World Book Capital for 2026, Rabat will roll out a series of initiatives with the aim of fostering sustainable economic growth and social benefits by enhancing access to books and supporting the local publishing industry. 

• Medellin in Colombia has been selected as the World Book Capital for 2027. 

World Book Capitals

• UNESCO’s World Book Capitals are committed to promoting books and reading for all, and to advancing the values of dialogue, creativity, education and cultural diversity, with particular attention to young people and vulnerable communities. 

• It also reaffirms the vital role of books as catalysts for more inclusive, equitable and peaceful societies.

• The initiative is part of UNESCO’s broader efforts to strengthen reading ecosystems and literacy worldwide. 

• For example, the ‘Centroamerica Lectora’ project, funded by AECID from 2020-2023, helped expand access to books and reading in El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua, as well as strengthening their publishing ecosystems. 

• In Ethiopia, another project funded through the International Fund for Cultural Diversity (IFCD) is currently focusing on enhancing the growth of children’s and youth’s literature. 

• Cities designated as UNESCO World Book Capital undertake to promote books and reading for all ages and groups, within and across national borders, and to organize a programme of activities for the year.

List of World Book Capitals:

• Madrid (2001)

• Alexandria (2002)

• New Delhi (2003)

• Antwerp (2004)

• Montreal (2005)

• Turin (2006)

• Bogota (2007)

• Amsterdam (2008)

• Beirut (2009)

• Ljubljana (2010)

• Buenos Aires (2011)

• Erevan (2012)

• Bangkok (2013)

• Port Harcourt (2014)

• Incheon (2015)

• Wroclaw (2016)

• Conakry (2017)

• Athens (2018)

• Sharjah (2019)

• Kuala Lumpur (2020)

• Tbilisi (2021)

• Guadalajara (2022)

• Accra (2023)

• Strasbourg (2024)

• Rio de Janeiro (2025)

• Rabat (2026)

• Medellin (2027).