Historical Background celebrated annually and internationally on
April 23 as of 1995, initiated by the United Nations
Educational,
Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) the decision
promulgated by the UNESCO GeneralConference in Paris, France;
first reference: 1923, Catalonian booksellers in Barcelona, to
commemorate the demise of Miguel deCervantes Saavedra (1547 1616),
the Spanish novelist (The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of
LaMancha, 1605; 1615), playwright, and poet, assumed to have died
on that day an ancient Cataloniancustom to donate books (by the
women to the men) and roses (by the men to the women) to the
belovedones on Saint Georges Day, a. k. a. the Day of the Rose = a
rose for love and a book forever;
subsequently, UNESCO joined Cervantes to an auctorial Holy
Trinity to mark the day; namely, the deathanniversaries of the Bard
of Avon, the English actor, playwright, and poet William
Shakespeare (1564 1616), and the Peruvian Inca chronicler Gmez
Surez de Figueroa (a. k. a. Garcilaso de la Vega, 1539 1616), fall
also thereupon the biennial UNESCO Prize for Childrens and Young
Peoples Literature in theService of Tolerance, awarding the works
promoting mutual understanding and respect of other cultures.
