Wazzup Pilipinas!
In celebration of Día del Libro or the International Book Day, Instituto Cervantes, the cultural arm of the Embassy of Spain, will once again be abuzz with cultural and fun activities on April 22, Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Ayala Triangle Gardens.
Thousands of books galore, just like in the previous Día del Libro editions, as top bookstores and publishing houses will be selling a wide array of books at 20% discount. Following the tradition in Spain, every book purchase would entitle one to a free rose.
The Día del Libro tradition, which began in Barcelona, was first introduced in Manila by Instituto Cervantes in 2006. The tradition is commemorated on St. George’s Day (April 23), during which men and women exchange roses and books. This also honors two of history’s greatest writers – Miguel de Cervantes and William Shakespeare – who coincidentally died on the same day, April 23, 1616.
These significant events prompted the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to declare April 23as World Book and Copyright Day to instill love of reading among the youth and to promote respect for authors’ rights over their literary and artistic works.
April is also the birth month of classic Filipino poet Francisco Balagtas, and to honor him the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) declared April the National Literature Month.