April 23 marks World Book and Copyright Day, International English and Spanish Language Day, World Laboratory Day, Shakespeare Day, and All-Ukrainian Psychologist Day. On this day, important events took place that left a deep mark in world, Ukrainian, and cultural history.
World Book and Copyright Day
This day reminds humanity of the power of words, the importance of reading, respect for intellectual work, and the need to protect copyright. It is not just a day to honor the book as a cultural object, but also a way to pay attention to the role of the writer, publisher, librarian and reader in today’s society, which is increasingly immersed in the digital age.
The holiday was started by UNESCO in 1995 at the initiative of Spain, and the chosen day is not accidental: on April 23, 1616, two giants of literature – Miguel de Cervantes and William Shakespeare – died. It was this coincidence that became a symbol of the book’s immortality. Since then, the “World Capital of the Book” has been chosen every year, and throughout the year it holds active activities to promote reading. In 2025, this capital will be Prague, a city where book tradition, European heritage and the desire for innovation are closely intertwined.
In the digital age, the topic of copyright is gaining special relevance, both as an ethical and a legal means of protecting creativity. Piracy, copying without permission, unauthorized distribution – all this threatens both fiction and non-fiction.
For Ukraine, this date is also symbolic: despite the war, the closing of bookstores, and the bombing of libraries, Ukrainian authors continue to write, readers continue to search for books, and publishers continue to fight for every print run. In 2024, the Ukrainian book market once again proved its viability: new novels by Serhiy Zhadan, Oksana Zabuzhko, and Yuriy Andruhovych were published, as well as dozens of publications for children, teenagers, and the military. This day is a reminder that a nation that reads is invincible.
Interesting facts
The holiday falls on the day of the death of three literary giants: William Shakespeare, Miguel de Cervantes and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega – they all died on April 23, 1616.
In Catalonia (Spain), April 23 is also celebrated as St. George’s Day: men give roses to women, and women give books to men. This tradition inspired UNESCO to choose a date for the celebration.
Madrid became the first “World Book Capital” in 2001. Among others were Yerevan (2012), Athens (2018), Kuala Lumpur (2020), Guadalajara (2022).
In France, on this day, many bookstores and libraries hold night reading marathons: from classics to modern poetry.
According to UNESCO, more than 2.2 million new book titles appear every year in the world, and the global book market is estimated at more than 120 billion dollars.
In Ukraine, there is a national project “A book is your friend”, which became especially popular after 2022, when Ukrainian publishers and volunteers organized mobile libraries at the front.
In 2023, the “Books Without Borders” program began operating in Ukraine, providing Ukrainian children abroad with literature in their native language — in cooperation with the diaspora and foreign publishers.
International Day of English and Spanish
The International Day of the English Language and the Spanish Language is celebrated every year on April 23 under the auspices of the United Nations. It is not only a day of commemoration of the two most influential languages of our time, but also a reminder of the linguistic diversity of humanity, of the right of everyone to access knowledge and communication in their native or understandable language.
Setting these dates in the UN calendar has a symbolic basis: April 23 is the date of death of William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes, the most outstanding representatives of English and Spanish literature. Shakespeare became an icon of English-speaking culture, the creator of a new vocabulary, the founder of entire genres. Cervantes – the author of the immortal “Don Quixote” – is considered the father of the modern Spanish language, his influence on world literature is enormous. This coincidence became the basis for the symbolic unification of the two languages on a common date.
The celebration of UN languages began in 2010 as part of a campaign to promote the Organization’s six official languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Spanish and Russian. The main goal is to raise awareness of the history, culture and development of each language, as well as to promote intercultural dialogue, access to information and the expansion of human rights through language.
English is the language of science, technology, the Internet and diplomacy. According to linguists, about 1.5 billion people in the world speak English, of which more than 400 million speak English as their native language. It has an official or semi-official status in more than 80 countries. Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages on the planet: it is spoken by more than 500 million people, it is official in more than 20 countries and has a strong cultural influence in Latin America, Spain and the USA.
At the UN, both languages play a key role in the work of the General Assembly, the Security Council, UNESCO, WHO and other bodies. Language quizzes, literary readings, translation workshops, lectures on grammar, history and language identity are organized on this day. In many countries, students organize theatrical productions in the languages of Shakespeare and Cervantes, hold reading marathons of their works or contests for better knowledge of idioms and sayings.
This day is also important for Ukraine: English is increasingly becoming the language of education, career, science, and international cooperation. Spanish, on the other hand, is gaining popularity as a second foreign language due to its cultural appeal, availability of resources, and growing contacts with Latin American countries and Spain. Linguistic openness is the key to cultural integration, mobility and global dialogue.
Interesting facts
Spanish has the largest number of speakers among the Romance languages, with over 500 million speakers. It is official in 21 countries.
In the US, over 42 million people speak Spanish as their first language. It is the largest Spanish-speaking country without official language status.
There are more than a million words in English, although about 3,000 are enough for everyday use. Throughout history, Shakespeare used about 30,000 different words.
The phrase “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog” is an English pangram that contains all the letters of the alphabet. It is used for testing keyboards.
In 2022, English became the official second language of instruction in all Ukrainian institutions of higher education implementing double degree programs.
Every 98 minutes, one book in Spanish appears in the world, according to the Spanish Book Institute.
Spanish is studied as a foreign language by more than 21 million students worldwide, and English by more than 1 billion.
Every year, the Ukrainian National Library for Children holds “English week” and “Spanish evenings” until April 23, with readings of works by Shakespeare and Cervantes in translations.
World Laboratory Day
This day is dedicated to recognizing the work of laboratory specialists in all fields: from medicine and biology to chemistry, forensics and ecology. The laboratory is the heart of modern science and health care. This is where discoveries are born, where diagnoses are made, pathogens are identified, food and water are tested for safety, genomes are studied, and crimes are solved.
The idea of honoring people who work in laboratories appeared as a continuation of the traditions of the International Day of Medical Laboratory Diagnostics, which was previously celebrated on April 15, and the Day of the Microbiologist, which also falls on April. Since 2022, April 23 has received the status of World Laboratory Day with the support of a number of professional associations and international organizations, including the European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID), the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry (IFCC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Laboratories perform a key function in the medical field: more than 70% of diagnoses are based on the results of laboratory tests. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it was thanks to the coordinated work of laboratories that it was possible to control the spread of infection, track new strains and conduct testing of millions of patients.
On this day, laboratory specialists hold scientific conferences, workshops, open days in their institutions, and introduce their activities to the public. It is important to understand that these people usually remain “invisible heroes”: patients know their doctor, but rarely think about who did the analysis on which the diagnosis is based. It is on World Laboratory Day that this contribution becomes visible and recognized.
In Ukraine, this date takes on special significance. After 2022, thousands of Ukrainian laboratories were under threat due to hostilities, but specialists continued to work in conditions of blackouts, shelling, lack of reagents and logistical difficulties. At the same time, the Ukrainian laboratory industry is actively reforming: new quality standards, digital solutions, and international accreditation are being introduced. Thanks to USAID, EU4Health, and WHO programs, laboratories in the frontline regions are being restored, and mobile laboratory teams are being created.
Interesting facts
According to the WHO, more than 70% of all clinical decisions are made on the basis of laboratory tests.
The first laboratory of the modern type was created by the German chemist Justus von Liebig in 1832 – it became a model for laboratories all over the world.
There are more than 1 million medical laboratories in the world, of which approximately 300,000 are in the field of biochemistry, immunology, and genetics.
In 2020-2023, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the volume of the global PCR diagnostics market increased 8 times. Ukraine deployed more than 200 additional laboratories with the support of international partners.
In criminology, a laboratory examination can determine the DNA of a criminal even by a trace of sweat or a remnant of a hair, detect poisonous substances or forgery of documents.
Ukrainian laboratories participate in international quality control programs — in particular, in the EQAS and Prevecal schemes, where the accuracy and reproducibility of results are tested annually.
In Ukraine, the reform of the state laboratory service is underway: a unified public health system is being created with 5 regional reference laboratories that must meet EU standards.
Famous scientists, such as Marie Curie or Louis Pasteur, conducted their experiments precisely in laboratories. It was from there that discoveries began that changed the course of history.
Shakespeare Day
William Shakespeare, one of the greatest playwrights and poets in human history, is honored every year on this day. This date is considered both the birthday and the day of death of the genius of the Renaissance. Although the exact date of Shakespeare’s birth is not documented, it is known that he was baptized on April 26, 1564, so April 23 is the most likely date of his birth. Shakespeare also died on April 23 — in 1616, ending a life that forever changed the course of literary history.
Shakespeare Day has become an international symbol of honoring not only the work of a specific figure, but also the power of words, theater, poetry and English culture in general. His works have been translated into more than 100 languages, and his plays have been on stage for more than four centuries. From Hamlet to Macbeth, from Romeo and Juliet to Othello, Shakespeare created a gallery of images that remain relevant today.
This day is celebrated all over the world as a celebration of literature, theater and language. In Great Britain, especially in the city of Stratford-upon-Avon, where Shakespeare was born, there are processions, costume parades, poetry readings and stage reenactments. Premieres of Shakespeare’s classic productions take place in theaters, and schoolchildren and students participate in competitions dedicated to his work. In universities, lectures are given about his language, philosophy and dramaturgy.
For the modern reader, Shakespeare remains alive: his characters embody eternal themes – love and betrayal, power and conscience, honor and jealousy, faith and fate. His poetry is not archaic, but a voice that still speaks to everyone.
Interesting facts
Shakespeare wrote at least 38 plays, 154 sonnets and a number of poems – and these are only the surviving works.
He did not have a university education, but he possessed a rare for his time intelligence and sense of language.
More than 1,700 words are recorded in Shakespeare’s works, which he either used for the first time or introduced into literary use. Among them are assassination, lonely, bedroom, fashionable.
His play “Hamlet” is the most staged drama in the history of the theater.
Phrases from Shakespeare’s works have become catchphrases: to be or not to be, the world’s a stage, all that glitters is not gold.
Stratford-upon-Avon is home to the Royal Shakespeare Theater and Museum dedicated to his life, and every year on 23 April there are celebrations in his honor.
All-Ukrainian psychologist’s day
This is a professional celebration of those who have chosen as their life’s work helping others in the subtlest and most invisible areas of the human soul. The day was an opportunity for society to pay attention to the importance of psychological well-being, as well as to honor those who work in the field of psychology – from school and family psychologists to specialists in the field of combat psychiatry, crisis relief and organizational counseling.
The holiday was started in 2004 on the initiative of the professional community of Ukrainian psychologists, as well as with the support of scientific and educational institutions. The choice of the date is not accidental: April 23 is the day of the founding of the Faculty of Psychology of Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University, one of the first in independent Ukraine, which laid the foundations of modern domestic psychological science and education.
In the 21st century, the role of the psychologist in society is growing rapidly. In the conditions of war, stress, prolonged suffering and social crises, Ukrainian psychologists work in front-line zones, in hospitals, with displaced persons, children, refugees, and families of the dead. In schools and kindergartens, psychologists not only observe the emotional state of children, but also help them adapt to new conditions, losses and challenges. In the army, the role of a military psychologist has become extremely significant: supporting a soldier, his ability to maintain fighting spirit, restore internal balance after an injury — all this depends on timely professional help.
At the same time, society is learning not to be ashamed to consult a psychologist. A paradigm shift is taking place: a psychologist is not only in the case of a severe crisis, but as regular support for personal growth, self-awareness, overcoming internal barriers. In the city and the countryside, online and live, in private offices and government structures, psychologists have become the ones who provide society with internal stability.
Interesting facts
The word “psychology” comes from the Greek and means “science of the soul” – psyche (soul) + logos (knowledge, teaching).
A psychologist is not a psychiatrist, he has a humanities education and works with behavioral, emotional and personal aspects, and a psychiatrist is a doctor who can prescribe medication.
In Ukraine, after 2022, the number of students choosing psychology as their main specialty has increased significantly: according to the Ministry of Education, the demand for specialists has doubled.
At the front, each brigade of the Armed Forces has at least one military psychologist. They not only work with combat injuries, but also prepare soldiers to return to the rear.
The famous Austrian psychologist and psychotherapist Viktor Frankl created logotherapy, a direction that helps a person to find meaning even in the most tragic conditions. His book “A Man in Search of True Meaning” is a bestseller among psychologists in Ukraine.
In the USA and Europe, the services of a psychologist are included in insurance packages and are considered part of health prevention.
Historical events on this day
971 – The Byzantine army began a siege of the city of Dorostol (present-day Silistria), where the Russians, led by Prince Svyatoslav, were defending.
1185 – Despite the eclipse of the sun, Prince Igor from Novgorod-Siversky, together with his brother Vsevolod, went on a campaign against the Polovtsy.
1656 – The Moscow council of church hierarchs passed a resolution to excommunicate from the church all who are baptized with two fingers.
1896 – The first movie screening in the history of the USA was held in New York.
1916 – Irish rebels seized key buildings in Dublin and declared Ireland’s independence from Great Britain.
1918 – The Central Council of Ukraine undertook to supply products for the Kaiser’s German army.
1921 – The agreement between Czechoslovakia and Romania supplemented the existing alliance with the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.
1923 – The Portuguese passenger ship “Mossamedes” hit a rock and sank, causing the death of 220 people.
1941 – Greece capitulated in the Second World War.
1951 – The Olympic Committee of the Soviet Union was created.
1959 – The Union of Journalists was founded in Ukraine.
1965 – The Soviet communication satellite “Molniya-1” was put into orbit for the first time.
1975 – The Book and Printing Museum of Ukraine (formerly the State Book and Printing Museum, founded in 1972) began operating in Kyiv.
1985 – During the April Plenum of the Central Committee of the CPSU, the beginning of the restructuring policy was officially announced.
1990 – Namibia joins the United Nations as the 160th member and becomes the 50th member of the British Commonwealth.
1991 – The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a law guaranteeing freedom of conscience.
1993 – A referendum was held in Eritrea under the supervision of the UN, where the majority of the population supported independence from Ethiopia.
1996 – UNESCO declared April 23 the World Book and Copyright Day.
2014 – The special purpose battalion of the National Guard of Ukraine “Donbas” was formed.
