by Daria Makowska
Across Sanoma, World Book and Copyright Day by UNESCO is a shared moment that unites our teams across Europe around a common passion for books, creativity, and the exchange of knowledge. Each country celebrates this day in its own way, reflecting local traditions and the unique role that reading plays in its culture.
Established by UNESCO in 1995 and celebrated on 23 April, the day promotes reading, supports the publishing industry, and highlights the importance of intellectual property protection. The choice of this date is no coincidence. It is the anniversary of the birth or death of several important writers, including Shakespeare, Cervantes, Druon, de la Vega, and Nabokov.
Supporting today’s and tomorrow’s authors in Poland
To our colleagues in Poland, this celebration holds a particularly strong place within our publishing and educational brands. For VULCAN and Nowa Era, it is a yearly opportunity to highlight the foundations of our mission: supporting authors, inspiring readers, and fostering a culture of learning.
Last year, we hosted Mariusz Szczygieł, one of Poland’s most influential contemporary reporters and a leading voice in narrative non‑fiction. His award‑winning work has shaped modern reportage and continues to inspire readers with its depth, precision, and human perspective.
This year, we invited employees to meet Magdalena Grzebałkowska, a celebrated writer and reporter known for her meticulously researched biographies and emotionally resonant storytelling. Her books stand out for their ability to connect historical events with personal narratives, making her an important figure in contemporary Polish literature.
Nowa Era has long supported young literary talent through its flagship nationwide competition “Show off your talent” (“Popisz się talentem”), now celebrating its 10th edition. Aimed at primary school students, it encourages imagination and creative writing. This year’s theme, “Friendship”, invited children to continue a story about a mysterious “Friend Rental Store” and describe their own adventure inside it. Participants had to write an original short text based on this prompt, and the best entries will be published in a special book.
Find more great examples about Nowa Era below:
- Encouraging reading across communities: Nowa Era is a member and founding partner of the Universal Reading Foundation. It is also part of the "Reading Poland” coalition, which brings together organizations committed to strengthening reading habits across the country. As part of this collaboration, we are supporting many initiatives like "Reading dad” and "Read. For Real”, "The book protects”.
- Strategic Partnerships Supporting Literacy: This year, Nowa Era is the sole educational partner of the Literacy for Democracy conference, which will take place on May 5th in Warsaw. This year’s slogan, #ShapingTheFuture, puts reading at the center - as a way to really shape the future and strengthen the resilience of societies. Together with an international group of leading experts, we will explore how to do this effectively.
Nowa Era has also become a partner of the Polish Section of IBBY’s (International Board on Books for Young People) is a nonprofit organization that promotes high-quality literature for children and young adults. The mission is to promote reading and organize the ,,Book of the Year” competition.
- A literary icon for children in Poland: A unique part of Nowa Era’s heritage is "Świerszczyk”, the oldest continuously published children’s magazine in Europe. Since 1945, it has entertained and educated generations of young readers, combining valuable literary content with imagination‑building activities.