Why have books become museum pieces in Pakistan?
Pakistan
World Book and Copyright Day is observed every year on April 23
- UNESCO fixed the day in 1995
- This year's theme is 'Read your way'
- Use of modern gadgets has led to decline in reading habits
By Ahad Khan
Today (April 23) marks the World Book and Copyright Day, popularly known as World Book Day.
To look into the history of this day, we will have to go back to 1922, when an impassioned publisher from Barcelona, Spain named Vicente Clavel Andres conceived an idea to dedicate April 23 as a book day to honour the literary work of celebrated author Miguel de Cervantes on his death anniversary.
Fast forward to 1995, UNESCO fixed this day to be the annual World Book and Copyright Day. This year's theme is "Read your way".
Ever since World Book Day's inception on yearly calendar, it is being celebrated across the globe to acknowledge the famed works of writers and help the upcoming generations understand the link between past, present and future. Books act as true cultural and generational bridges between multiple generations.
Let's have a brief look at this least frequented bridge as we tread forward.
Last credible survey to examine reading habits of Pakistanis was jointly conducted in 2019 by Gallup and Gilani Foundation. Results obtained through this survey were far from satisfactory.
According to the statistics, 3 out ot 4 Pakistanis which makes 75 percent of the total population don't read any books at all, only a small fraction i.e 9 percent are avid readers. This survey speaks volumes for a lack of reading in our society.
With a sea change created by the phenomenal rise of social media, books are now considered antiquated mode of learning.
Former US President Henry Truman's saying "All Leaders are Readers" is a stark reminder for our generation which avoids proximity with books and spends much of time in scrolling on social media.
This excessive use of digital media has also reduced the attention span, because of which Millennials and people from Gen-Z are less focused on serious tasks of life which require full attention instead they consume their maximum energies on relatively unimportant pursuits.
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They are, in my opinion, unconsciously making a reality for themselves which renders them vulnerable to even the slightest problems.
It is a good omen that younger people raise their voice on social media on almost every issue under the sun.
From sharing emotional posts on human sufferings in Gaza and Kashmir to raising voice for modern-day challenges of climate change and mental health, young men and women superficially touch upon everything.
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What they lack is even reasonable background reading on these issues. Not everyone can have an in-depth knowledge of a specific subject but becoming aware by availing necessary basic knowledge makes solutions easy.
In the end, the significance of books can only be recognised once you read them carefully. Books must not be considered museum pieces as they are the friends in need who evolve and refine oneself into a better version of him/herself.
Hoping for a learned future.
A very happy World Book Day folks.
