Since 1996, many countries around the world have celebrated World Book Day on April 23. Cities organize outdoor stalls and bookshops set up stands and present discount promotions to encourage reading. Taiwan has organized such activities for a number of years.
Even though Taiwan is not a UN member, this UNESCO supported activity is celebrated locally. The tradition originated in Catalonia, Spain, and it subsequently obtained UN support and became an international event.
As part of the celebrations, the tradition in Barcelona is for men to give women a rose and for women to given men a book. This creative exchange of gifts is both romantic and educational, and now, on every April 23, in cities around the world the passion for reading is lit by a flower.
In Taiwan, the norm is to give away flowers and donate books, whereas in other cities around the world, it is the exchange of gifts of flowers and books between individuals that underline the significance of the event. The government's cultural and educational agencies have earmarked some money to make more of an event out of World Book Day, but unfortunately the response has been muted.
Compared to many other popular festivals related to food -- such as the annual Bluefin Tuna Cultural Festival -- World Book Day has for years played second fiddle. It has become an annual routine in form only and attracted little attention. Even if the culture and education agencies want to invigorate the event, it is unable to beat the public's passion for food.
This year's World Book Day marked the 10th anniversary of the event. Many cities overseas held activities to allow citizens to exchange roses and books as gifts. By accepting books as gifts, the people also experienced the beauty of the printed word in their hearts. How did Taiwan respond to such activities?
I heard from a radio news report that religious groups were participating in the event by giving away books to Chinese schools overseas. This development made me sigh with emotion. It's not that books should not be given as "relief," Nor do I mean that religious groups should not give away books on this day. Rather, I was shocked that Taiwan was actually incapable of properly hosting a significant event like World Book Day.
Taiwan has expressed a strong desire to join the UN. Should we be worried that an activity such as World Book Day, which is sponsored by UNESCO, in a country like ours with reasonable economic and political development, should present such a disappointment? We have many so-called "cultural" activities. However, we have turned World Book Day from the exchanges of flowers and books into relief delivery. What happened to our culture and the culture of reading?
World Book Day has lost its significance in Taiwan. The slogan of aiming at building a cultural state is often used in politics. But viewed from the quality and quantity of culture in Taiwan's society, we know that the nation is not a cultural state at all. More Taiwanese people put greater weight on "money" than "meaning." However, such weight is actually weightless, and it will not cause other countries in the world to take us seriously.
Lee Min-yung is a poet.
Translated by Ian Bartholomew and Eddy Chang
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