In 2021, World Book Day took place while most children were home schooling. But this year, it’s back, and it’s the event’s 25th anniversary, so there are big plans to make 2022 better than ever.
World Book Day was created by UNESCO on 23 April, 1995, as a worldwide celebration of books and reading, which is marked in over 100 countries worldwide. The first time the event hit the UK was 1997, to encourage young people to discover the pleasure of reading.
This year marks the 25th year there’s been a World Book Day and on 3 March, 2022, children of all ages will come together to share the joy of reading for pleasure. Many of those children will be encouraged to dress up as their favourite characters at school, and explore new books and stories.
This year, more than ever, World Book Day is an important date in the calendar, as recent studies show that reading for pleasure is at an all-time low. Cassie Chadderton, chief executive of World Book Day, tells us: “Reading for pleasure is the biggest indicator of a child’s future success – more than their family circumstances, their parents’ educational background or their income – but it is in decline and at its lowest level since 2005.
“This demonstrates the importance of improving access to reading for all, and encourage everyone to see themselves as readers, no matter what their ability is or interests are.”
To read the full feature in the digital issue of Progressive Party Europe, simply click here.
