Celebrating English Week/World Book Day

A few years ago, the United Nations created Language Days for each of the six official languages
to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity. This week, on April 23rd, we are celebrating
English Language Day! April 23rd was chosen because it is the birthday of William Shakespeare,
one the greatest writers in the English language.

There are 360 million native speakers of English in the world, making it the 3rd most widely
spoken. English is the official language in 67 sovereign states and 27 non-sovereign entities. A
lot of this is due to the former British Empire. To mark the importance of English language
around the world the United Nations has also introduced the World Book Day to promote
reading.

There was a quiet language that began on a small cluster of islands off the coast of Western
Europe, it slowly developed and spread through a few different permutations until one day, in
an explosion of colonialism, it suddenly spread across the world like wildfire. It became the
language of what was once the most powerful nation in the world and has since become the
language of commerce in countries all over the world. English Language Day celebrates this
language and its importance in our daily life.

Watch TV in English — Try comedies or soap operas. Start with the subtitles on the screen to
help you get comfortable, and work your way up to being able to understand and enjoy what’s
happening without them.

Find a pen pal — Whether it’s a student in an English speaking country or a friend who is also
practicing the language, find someone to exchange emails with in English on a regular basis.

Engage on Social Media — Follow people and companies who post entirely in English. Watch
videos, read articles, and participate in comments and conversations where you can.

Listen to fun music — Add English songs that you like into your regular playlist. Work on
understanding the lyrics (looking them up online will help you with translations), and don’t be
afraid to sing along!
 The importance of reading books

Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most
accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers. -Charles
W. Elio-

Everyone knows that reading is important, but have we ever asked ourselves why
that is so? Let’s find out some of the reasons:

1. Expose Yourself to New Things

Through reading, you expose yourself to new things, new information, new ways
to solve a problem, and new ways to achieve one thing. Who knows – you might
find your new hobbies within it. Who knows – you might actually explore one
thing you really like and it may end up becoming your career and success in the
future. Exploration begins from reading and understanding.

2. Self-Improvement

Reading does help you form a better you, doesn’t it? Through reading, you begin
to understand yourself more – what are your strengths and weaknesses. Through
reading, you can build your self-confidence and embark on the journey of
developing your hidden talents and potentials.

3. Improve Understanding

The more you read, the more you understand and broaden your knowledge on a
particular topic. It gives you expert knowledge and mastery of concepts, their
relevance and uses. This is what makes you a professional.

4. Preparation to Action
Before you take action on anything or any important decision, you should you seek
for help and guidance? Reading is an essential way which can help you out. In
today’s world, getting reviews and feedback from other people can make a big
impact on your next decision, and the pros and cons of each choice. This is why we
say:

Read > Learn > Do > Achieve

5. Gain Experience from Other People

When you are reading, you are actually gaining the knowledge and experience of
someone. It can hasten your success towards a goal, as you don’t need to repeat the
same mistake while focusing on the right path in achieving one thing. It’s like a
mine of gems for you to discover in books, which contain people’s successes,
failures and advice. Life is too short for you to keep repeating the mistakes that had
been done by other people in the past, in order for you to reach the results that
someone might already reached.

6. Tools of Communicating

Communication is the most important tool which can be transmitted through

reading. As you communicate through reading, you understand more, and thus you
can communicate better with people. Through reading, you build a more solid
foundation for communication. It is one of the most important tools we use every
day to connect with each other. So, reading connects you with the world.

7. Boost Imagination and Creativity

Reading exposes you to a world of imagination, showing you nothing is impossible

in this world. By reading, you are exploring a different angle to see a thing you’ve
known, on how different action leads to different results. Books are beyond
imagination. It’s like a huge spider web, where you keep linking to more and more
to things you knew, and things you just learn, structuring new solutions and
answers.

8. Reading as lifelong learning

Reading makes you lifelong learner, a seeker of truth. There are so many mysteries
and secrets in this world that need to be unraveled and solved. And reading is the
only way we can question what we see and probe deeper through the surface to
discover the truth behind – the purpose of our existence.

On these words, I wish you all a happy reading. May the Almighty enlighten your
soul with divine knowledge.