WORLD BOOK DAY - SHAKESPEARE AND CERVANTES

Today is World Book Day or World Book and Copyright Day (also known as International Day of the Book or World Book Days) is a yearly event on April 23, organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), to promote reading, publishing and copyright. In the United Kingdom, the day is recognised on the first Thursday in March. World Book Day was celebrated for the first time on 23 April 1995.

MAIN FIGURES: SHAKESPEARE AND CERVANTES

Shakespeare was born on 26 April 1564 and he died on 23 April 1616. He was an English poet, playwright, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. Shakespeare was born and brought up in Stratford-upon-Avon. At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, with whom he had three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith. Between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part-owner of a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men. Shakespeare died on 23 April 1616, at the age of 52.

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra was born on 29 September 1547 and he died on 22 April 1616. He is known as Cervantes. He was a Spanish novelist, poet, and playwright. To celebrate this day, Cervantes's Don Quixote is read during a two-day "readathon" and the Miguel de Cervantes Prize is presented by the Spanish king in Alcalá de Henares. 

I always promote reading in class and at home. It is the best way you can learn, travel to different places and sceneries, be a wizard, a prince, a magician or the character you want. The best present you can have for a special day like today is a book. A book is your friend and it never abandon you. Read a book when you are tired, before going to bed, when you wait for the bus, when you are alone at home, when it is raining, when you are happy... These are my tips for you dear student, parent or friend. Keep on reading. Do not do it for just 30 minutes, but for all your life.

Regards, Christopher.

23RD APRIL - ST GEORGE'S DAY

Today is St George’s Day. This is a special one for people in many different countries.

St. George’s Day is on 23 April. It is England’s national day. St. George is the patron saint of England. His emblem, a red cross on a white background, is the flag of England, and part of the British flag. By tradition, 23 April is the day for a red rose in the button hole, the national flower. 

There are two versions of the legend at this juncture: the first one involves people getting tired of no member of the royal family being sent and therefore decide that the princess should be sent to the Dragon; while the second version says that one day a princess was chosen by drawing lots to accompany the lamb. Anyway, on the way to the cave of the dragon, the princess found a gentleman or knight of the name George and he slew the dragon by stabbing his sword into it and rescued her. From the blood that flowed from the body of the monster was born a red rose which the gentleman handed to the princess.

 

The king offered the gentleman all the riches imaginable but he preferred that the riches be allocated to the inhabitants of the kingdom. In addition, a church was built in his name, from which flowed miraculous water that was able to heal the sick.

        

I have chosen three videos about the legend (there are many versions) from the Internet. We (my students and I) have watched two of them and they loved at all. Just click the pictures and enjoy as much as they have. Regards, Christopher.