April 2 – International Children’s Book Day

To inspire a love for reading and to call attention to children’s books, The International Children’s Book Day (ICBD) is celebrated on April 2, Hans Christian Andersen’s birthday.

Each year, a different National Section of IBBY has the opportunity to be the international sponsor of ICBD.  It decides upon a theme and invites a prominent author from the host country to write a message, and a well-known illustrator to design a poster.  These materials are used in different ways to promote books and reading. 

The Greek IBBY, in cooperation with the National Book Center and other local authorities, is responsible for printing and distributing the materials to schools and libraries.  In addition, on or around April 2, the Greek IBBY celebrates ICBD through a variety of outreach programs, and the conferment of its annual awards.