when is world book day

World Book Day is marked internationally on 23 April each year.

Quick Scoop

• The official World Book Day , as recognised by UNESCO, is celebrated annually on 23 April to promote reading, publishing, and copyright.

• Many countries, including India and others, observe World Book Day on this same date, 23 April.

• In the UK and Ireland, schools often celebrate a separate World Book Day-style event on a Thursday in early March, which is why different dates sometimes appear online.

Dates for Recent Years

• 2024: 23 April 2024 worldwide; UK/Ireland school-focused event on 7 March 2024.

• 2025: 23 April 2025 worldwide.

• 2026: 23 April 2026 worldwide; some UK school calendars list celebrations on Thursday 5 March 2026.

Why 23 April?

• UNESCO chose 23 April because it is associated with the death of Miguel de Cervantes, William Shakespeare, and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, among other major authors.

• The day is intended to celebrate authors, books, and the joy of reading, and to encourage a culture of lifelong reading in over 100 countries.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.