Instituto Cervantes holds Dia del Libro in Ayala Triangle April 22

This is a press release.

MANILA, Philippines – On April 22, Saturday, Instituto Cervantes, the cultural arm of the Embassy of Spain, will once again be abuzz with cultural and fun activities to celebrate the Día del Libro or the International Book Day. Thousands of books will be gathered around its premises in Ayala Triangle.

As in previous years, Día del Libro will feature top bookstores and publishing houses that will be selling a wide array of books at a 20% discount. Following the tradition in Spain, every book purchase would entitle one to a free rose.

First introduced in Manila by Instituto Cervantes in 2006, the tradition of Día del Libro began in Barcelona, Spain. To the present, the tradition is commemorated on St. George’s Day (23 April), during which men and women exchange roses and books. This date also honors the deaths of two of history’s greatest writers – Miguel de Cervantes and William Shakespeare – who coincidentally died on the same day, April 23, 1616. These significant occurrences prompted the UNESCO to declare, in 1995, April 23 as “World Book and Copyright Day” to instill the love of reading among the young and to promote respect for the rights of authors over their literary and artistic works. April is also the birth month of classic Filipino poet Francisco Balagtas, and to honor him the NCCA declared April the National Literature Month. 

This year’s edition will be held on April 22 (Saturday), 10 am to 10pm at the Ayala Triangle Gardens.

Apart from the book market, visitors will also be treated to poetry recitals, dance performances, plays, concerts, as well as activities for the children. One of the main features of the day will be the inauguration of the exhibit The Prado Museum in Manila, presented by the Embassy of Spain, Instituto Cervantes and The Prado Museum. Displaying more than 50 life-size reproductions of masterpieces from The Prado Museum in Madrid, this exhibit represents a unique opportunity for passers-by to experience a face-to-face encounter with works of some of the great masters from the 12^th to the 19^th centuries in the form of high-definition photographic prints.  –Rappler.com