Copyrights . . . and wrongs !

April 23 has long been associated with Shakespeare; yet in 1923 booksellers in Spain, as a tribute to Miguel de Cervantes who too died on the same day, celebrated a book day. In 1995 Unesco decided that the annual World Book and Copyright Day would be commemorated on this date.

The day is associated with the indeligible mark that books have left on the society at large; the social and cultural advancement of each society is a testament to the literature it has produced.

Apart from highlighting the 'pleasures of reading' that most people today refuse to acknowledge as a necessary element in intellectual enlightenment which they arguably lack, the day is also a reminder to honour and adhere to copyright laws.

In the past two decades copyright infringements have risen considerably, so much so that internationally it has become a matter of deep concern. The trade loss of the US book industry due to piracy has jumped alarmingly and despite having strict piracy laws throughout many countries, proper implementation, which has come to be known as a cliche, is the root cause of the continual rise of piracy throughout the globe.