World Book Day and Easter together
World Book Day, proclaimed by UNESCO, is celebrated on Easter Saturday. Because the date falls at an inconvenient time this year due to the Easter holidays, the seventh edition is being somewhat overlooked in Switzerland. Instead of readings, there are chocolate bunnies; last year’s slogan, «Switzerland Reads. You, too?» is being reused, and even the promotional video sponsored by media partner SRG is from last year.
Half of the 120 registered events consist of giving away free chocolate with the purchase of a book. In German-speaking Switzerland, many bookshops are giving out a chocolate bunny with every book purchase - "while stocks last"; in French-speaking Switzerland, chocolate letters are being handed out instead, as reported by the SDA on Monday. The gift-giving ties in with the origins of World Book Day: In Catalonia, Spain, it is traditional to give books and roses as gifts on St. George's Day.
However, some bookshops, libraries and organizations are also celebrating World Book Day this year with readings and reading promotion campaigns. At Zurich Zoo, for example, children will receive the musical book "King Alphons and Kurt the Camel" by Frank Baumann as a gift; at Aarau City Library, politicians will reveal their reading preferences, and in Liestal, Christoph Simon's "Häsin Mels, Hase Fitz und der Teichgruselgolz" will be read aloud to mark the occasion. In St. Gallen, a prize will be awarded for the most beautiful photo on the theme "Here I like to read...". In other places there will be book swaps or book boxes with literature, games, comics and audio books will be distributed.
