I'm Elena, I come from Barcelona and I teach Spanish and Catalan as a foreign language at Glorick. As a teacher and translator, and as a voracious reader and avid consumer of books, April 23 is a very important date on my calendar. As it is for writers, editors, translators, teachers, readers and many people around the world, as we will see in this article.
Today I would like to share with the readers of the blog some information about the origin of this ephemeris, how it is celebrated and why this date is important to value reading in relation to learning a second language.
But what do we celebrate on April 23?
The International Book Day
On April 23, 1616, Cervantes, Shakespeare and Garcilaso de la Vega died. Therefore, this date was chosen to honor the book and its authors worldwide, encourage reading and also defend and protect the book industry and copyright.
UNESCO approved the celebration of this day in 1995 and every year a world book capital is chosen to promote the dissemination of the book and encourage reading through different programs. In 2001, Madrid became the first city chosen.
World Spanish Language Day
Initially, the United Nations (UN) decided that the Spanish Language Day would be celebrated on October 12 (date of the discovery of America), but later chose to establish the date of April 23, due to Cervantes' ephemeris.
The purpose of this date is to raise awareness among UN members, and the world at large, about the history, culture and use of Spanish as an official language. It must be said that Spanish is a language of great importance throughout the world, being the third most spoken and the main language of most South American countries.
How is this day celebrated in Spain?
In Spain, on April 23, Miguel de Cervantes is especially remembered with the presentation of the prize that bears his name, the most important of Spanish letters.
In Catalonia, the day coincides with that of Saint George, patron saint of Catalonia. On this day, traditionally, men offer roses to women and women reciprocate with books, although over time it has become very common to see roses and books in the hands of everyone: friends, family, co-workers, etc.
The tradition has its origins in the legend of Sant Jordi, which tells the story of the knight Jordi who saved a princess from being devoured by a dragon. From the blood of this dragon a red rose was born, which the knight offered to the princess.
It is very beautiful to see how Barcelona and the other Catalan capitals are transformed on this so dear and long-awaited date for Catalans, and how the streets are filled with stalls selling roses and books. In addition, libraries, museums and other cultural institutions often organize special activities on this occasion (round tables, book signings, conferences, book exchanges, storytelling hours, concerts, public readings, etc.)
In Madrid, the Night of Books is celebrated, when bookstores are open until midnight. There are discounts for buying books and you can participate in events with live music and book signings with writers.
Why is this date important for language teachers and learners?
In language classes, it is customary to dedicate the week of April 23 to talking about books and reading poetry or excerpts from novels, with the aim of encouraging students to discover new authors and works.
Reading in a language that we are learning gives us correct and more complex grammatical structures than those we are used to producing on our own, and this helps us to learn them. It also is a good method to expand vocabulary and improve spelling.
In addition, reading takes us to other places, other cultures, invites us to open our minds, to dream, to escape everyday reality, something that has been especially necessary and important during the hard years of the pandemic.
That's why I don't want to end this article without leaving some book suggestions for the blog's readers, so that they can celebrate Book Day properly. I bring you some recommendations that revolve around the lives of brave women who had to overcome difficult times.
Todo el bien y todo el mal, by Care Santos (not yet translated into English)
In this novel, we delve into the intimate life of Reina, a woman for whom life takes unexpected turns. To face them, she will have to stand in front of the mirror to answer some uncomfortable questions.
Violeta, by Isabel Allende.
The well-known Chilean author, with her latest work, gives us the intense, turbulent and inspiring story of Violeta, a woman who was born in the middle of the Spanish flu pandemic.
How about you? Do you have any recommendations to read this April 23? We would love to see them in the comments.