On that all important World Book and Copyright Day that sits proudly in centre stage of most writer's calendars, the head of the United Nations agency which is tasked with preserving the world''s cultural heritage called for a debate to examine the changing trends in book publishing and copyrights. The agency stated that the introduction of new technologies to the publishing industry was having a huge impact on publishers, authors and readers.
"Change is giving rise also to sharp new debates -- about the strengths and weaknesses of different kinds of products, about the nature of copyright today, about the role of libraries relative to online knowledge, about the meaning of ''authorship'' in a world of blogs and wikis," said Irina Bokova, the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO), in a message to mark the World Book and Copyright Day.
She also drew attention to UNESCO''s responsibility to explore all the repercussions
of the change, while preserving the values and forms of expression that the world shares and cherishes.
"Our role is to provide a platform for debate and to act as a knowledge-broker to explore old and new ideas," Ms. Bokova said.
Ms. Bokova, called for the protection of books, stating that they are the best voices of tolerance and that they act as pillars of free and open societies. She asked that efforts be made to ensure that books become available to the 800 million adults who still do not have reading skills. "We must explore all aspects of the changes they [books] are undergoing today," she added.
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