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Home | Education | Rewind For The Joy Of Reading And Love Of Books Rewind: For the joy of reading and love of Books World Book and Copyright Day on April 23 reminds us of literature’s power in shaping minds, building inclusive cultures and advancing SDGs in the age of AI By Telangana Today Published Date - 19 April 2025, 07:37 PM Illustration: Guru G. By Dr GR Raghavender April 23 is a symbolic date in world literature. On this day, UNESCO’s General Conference was held in Paris in 1995 to pay a worldwide tribute to books and authors, encouraging everyone to access books.
It also marks the World Book and Copyright Day, also known as the World Book Day. Also Read Rewind: Most translated document in history This UoH alumnus’ unique initiative, Flybrary, impresses Civil Aviation Minister Though World Book Day was officially inaugurated in 1995, it was Spanish writer Vicente Clavel Andres who conceived the idea in 1922 to pay tribute to notable author Miguel de Cervantes. As Cervantes was born on October 7, World Book Day was celebrated for the first time on October 7, 1926.
Even before this, during La Diada de Sant Jordi (the Festival of St George), Catalunya’s version of Valentine’s Day, people traditionally exchanged red roses and books . This one-day festival, held annually on April 23, was inspired by the legend of Saint George, who has been the patron saint of Catalunya since 1456. The theme for World Book and Copyright Day 2025 is ‘The role of literature in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)’, highlighting how books and reading can contribute to a better world In 1930, King Alfonso XIII of Spain officially designated April 23 as the date of celebration, aligning it with the death anniversary of Miguel de Cervantes.
In Catalonia, the day gained significant popularity not only because of its association with Sant Jordi but also due to the tradition of gift-giving — books and roses became the standard, especially after the Barcelona Book Fair in 1931. Interestingly, April 23 also marks the death anniversaries of William Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega. These literary coincidences led to UNESCO’s decision to declare April 23 as World Book and Copyright Day in 1995, honouring global literature and promoting the joy of reading .
Access to Reading UNESCO suggests that ‘Through reading and celebrating World Book and Copyright Day, on April 23, we can open up to others despite the distance, and travel thanks to the imagination. This day pays homage to books and authors and promotes access to reading for as many people as possible.’ On this occasion, people across the world pay tribute to books and authors, and are encouraged to discover the pleasure of reading.
The goal is to honour those who have made extraordinary contributions to social and cultural progress. People are encouraged to either purchase a book to read or donate one to others in celebration of this day. The Theme The theme for World Book and Copyright Day 2025 is “The role of literature in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”.
This theme highlights how books and reading can contribute to a better world, influencing positive change and fostering a deeper understanding of global challenges and solutions. The Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs ), introduced by the United Nations in 2015, consist of 17 interconnected objectives designed to eradicate poverty, protect the environment and ensure global prosperity by 2030. Among them, SDG 4: Quality Education plays a crucial role in advancing inclusive and equitable learning opportunities, fostering lifelong education, and driving social and economic progress.
Education is central to achieving gender equality, reducing disparities, and promoting sustainable development. By improving literacy rates, ensuring universal primary and secondary education, and enhancing skill-building programmes for all age groups, nations can take significant strides toward these global goals. WORLD BOOK CAPITAL 2025: To sustain global literary celebrations, UNESCO, alongside organisations representing publishers, booksellers and libraries, selects a World Book Capital (WBC) each year.
For 2025, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has been honoured with this title, recognising its dedication to literature, sustainable publishing and fostering reading habits among youth, particularly through digital technology NEP 2020 and SDGs India’s National Education Policy ( NEP ) 2020 is closely aligned with the principles of the SDGs, particularly SDG-4. This policy envisions a dynamic, holistic and multidisciplinary education system aimed at establishing India as a knowledge-driven powerhouse. NEP 2020 prioritises equal access to quality education, regardless of socioeconomic status, and emphasises foundational literacy, early childhood education, vocational training and teacher development.
By promoting inclusive learning, digital education and sustainable educational practices, India strengthens its commitment to achieving the SDGs through transformative reforms and empowerment initiatives. AI, Copyright, and Publishing The emergence of sophisticated AI algorithms, particularly large language models ( LLMs ), has brought forth a critical concern for the publishing industry. Some of the popular LLM models created by Open AI’s ChatGPT, Microsoft’s Copilot, Google’s Gemini and the recently emerged DeepSeek are indulging in the unauthorised “scraping” of copyrighted literary works to serve as training data.
The potential for AI systems to utilise and even replicate creative content without proper attribution is challenging the moral rights of the author, and such acts are tantamount to plagiarism. Patronus AI, the leading AI evaluation and optimisation company, recently identified in its survey significant instances of plagiarism by LLMs. Reprographic Rights Organizations and other copyright societies, affiliated with the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organizations, have been demanding that AI companies seek formal licences and pay royalties for the use of copyrighted content In their research, they developed an adversarial test set to evaluate how often LLMs reproduce copyrighted content.
The findings revealed that state-of-the-art models frequently generate exact reproductions of copyrighted material. As the legal framework surrounding the use of copyrighted material for AI training remains contested and under development, publishers are beginning to explore ways to protect their copyright from such unauthorised exploitation. While many countries have established text and data mining (TDM) exceptions for education and research, they have deliberately excluded commercial use to protect the copyrights of authors and publishers.
However, recent legislative proposals in the UK seeking to extend these exceptions to AI companies have sparked intense criticism, with strong opposition from content creators and rights holders who argue that such measures weaken consent and copyright safeguards. At the same time, AI companies have expressed their disapproval of the proposed opt-out mechanism for authors and publishers, adding to the ongoing debate over balancing innovation and copyright protection. World Book and Copyright Day 2025 also focuses on the theme ‘Read Your Way,’ inspiring readers to explore diverse genres and connect with books that resonate with them.
This initiative encourages discovery and empowers children to choose books independently The issue of copyright infringement and AI training has become a pivotal debate in the publishing industry. Authors and publishers argue that their works, often the result of years of effort and intellectual creativity, should not be used to train AI models without explicit consent. This concern is amplified as AI-generated content increasingly competes with original human-created works, raising ethical and financial implications.
The principle of requiring authorisation and fair compensation for using copyrighted material is central to this discourse, ensuring that creators retain control over their intellectual property and receive due recognition for their contributions. Without proper licensing agreements, AI companies risk undermining the value of copyrighted works, potentially disrupting the livelihoods of writers and publishers. Recognising these concerns, organisations such as the Reprographic Rights Organizations, which are copyright societies affiliated with the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organizations (IFFRO), have been vocal in demanding that AI companies seek formal licences and pay royalties for the use of copyrighted content.
Legal battles have already begun to unfold, with prominent cases such as The New York Times’ lawsuit against OpenAI and other AI firms in the United States, joined by similar legal actions from author societies and major book publishers. In India, news agency ANI has filed a case against OpenAI, challenging the unauthorised use of copyrighted content for AI training purposes. Regulatory discussions are gaining momentum globally, with policymakers exploring frameworks that balance technological innovation with the protection of intellectual property rights.
This ongoing battle will likely shape the future of AI training practices and copyright enforcement in the digital age. Amidst the ongoing legal debates and discussions, Penguin Random House appears to be the first major publisher to update its copyright pages to reflect these new concerns. This proactive step involves the inclusion of specific warnings or statements intended to deter the scraping of their books by AI algorithms without permission.
By explicitly addressing this issue within the legal notices of their publications, book publishers are signalling their intent to vigorously defend the copyright of their authors and the integrity of the published works. This move could potentially set a precedent for other publishers grappling with similar concerns in the evolving landscape of AI technology. By protecting authors’ rights and promoting equitable access to books, we ensure that literature continues to inspire innovation, nurture empathy and contribute meaningfully to a more just, informed and sustainable world Balancing innovation and copyright in the AI era requires a thoughtful approach that fosters technological progress while safeguarding the rights of authors and publishers.
AI-driven advancements, particularly in content generation, offer immense potential for efficiency and creativity, yet they must not come at the cost of intellectual property protection. A fair and transparent framework is essential that ensures AI companies obtain proper licensing agreements, compensate content creators, maintain transparency and uphold ethical standards in copyrighted content usage. By striking this balance, innovation can thrive without undermining the value of original copyrighted works, allowing AI to enhance, rather than exploit, human creativity.
Governments, industry stakeholders and legal experts must collaborate to establish policies that support both AI-driven innovation and growth and the rightful claims of authors and publishers, ensuring a sustainable and equitable digital landscape. As we celebrate World Book and Copyright Day 2025 on 23 April, it is essential to reaffirm the enduring power of literature in shaping minds, building inclusive cultural societies and driving progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals. In an age increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence (AI), the written word remains a cornerstone of human expression and intellectual freedom.
By protecting authors’ rights, promoting equitable access to books and fostering a culture of reading, we ensure that literature continues to inspire innovation, nurture empathy, and contribute meaningfully to a more just, informed and sustainable world. (The author is an Intellectual Property law and technology expert, Senior Consultant in Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, retired Joint Secretary, Government of India, and former Registrar of Copyrights. Views are personal) Follow Us : Tags Dr GR Raghavender literature Miguel de Cervantes rewind Related News Rewind: Is the AI Apocalypse closer? T-Works to host ‘AI Readiness Assessment Methodology in India’ consultative workshop on Tuesday Rewind: University of Hyderabad’s Arab Spring moment Rewind: Reviving temple dance — Ranganatha Swamy, Ramappa and beyond.
