#WorldBookDay #CopyrightMatters #BookBusiness #WomenEntrepreneurs #CreativeEconomy #UNESCO #LiteraryEntrepreneurship #IntellectualProperty #ReadToLead #SDGsThroughStories
Once a cornerstone of civilization, books are now facing a quiet extinction. April 23, World Book and Copyright Day, serves as a solemn reminder – not just to celebrate the written word, but to confront a cultural crisis. Reading is on the decline. Piracy is rampant. And copyright laws are struggling to keep up with a digital world that moves faster than legislation.
This UNESCO-backed day was never meant to be a token celebration. It was created to honor literary giants like Shakespeare and Cervantes, who died on April 23, and to protect the rights of creators. But today, with ‘digital’ grabbing attention, and while the world scrolls endlessly on screens, authors and publishers fight to stay visible…..and profitable.
The 2025 theme, “The Role of Literature in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,” asks us to remember how stories shape societies and by and large the world. But how can literature do that if we’re not reading – and if creators aren’t protected?
Millions Read. Few Protect. Is Copyright the Forgotten Hero?
To actually think, books are more than stories – they’re bridges between cultures, eras & ideas. Reading enhances vocabulary, nurtures imagination, and builds emotional intelligence. For students and young minds, books are portals of moral values, history, and identity.
This day also shines a light on the economic and creative possibilities the book industry offers. Starting a book publishing business can become an increasingly viable entrepreneurial venture. But is this happening?
Entrepreneurs entering the publishing space face both opportunity and chaos. The margins are high, yes. But so are the risks. Infringement, plagiarism, and AI-generated knockoffs make copyright enforcement a really difficult, demanding full-time job!! Intellectual property is being diluted, and the value of original content is being questioned like never before!
So the question stands: Are we really doing enough to promote books, reading, & copyright? Or are we watching the slow erosion of our cultural cornerstone – and staying silent?
Avtar Madan
Himanshu
Shree Lahiri
