Also see the website:
http://www.yerevan2012.org/yerevan-world-book-capital
The degree of municipal, regional, national and international involvement, including professional and non-governmental organizations, and the impact of the programs: The program of events that has been compiled for Yerevan, World Book Capital 2012 will invite and include the participation of relevant professionals, civil society organizations and municipal and national government structures to ensure a successful year of celebrating everything related to books and reading. International organizations and structures in the field of publishing, printing and associations of journalists, authors and librarians will all play a pivotal role in advancing issues of copyright, freedom to publish, access to books, information and innovations.
Yerevan, World Book Capital 2012 will bring together experts and professional from the region and all over the world and will serve as an impetus to promote publishing and raise awareness that books can serve as a medium which encourages cultural, political, social and economic development.
The quantity and quality of one-time or ongoing activities organized by the applicant city in collaboration with national and international professional organizations representing writers, publishers, booksellers, and librarians and in full respect of the various players in the book supply chain and in the scientific and literary community: Realizing that the success of Yerevan, World Book Capital 2012 rests with cooperation and collaboration with all the stakeholders in the book supply chain, the organizing committee has already been actively consulting with relevant players. The diversity of the program of anticipated events, will have a lasting impact on the publishing and printing industry by bringing professionals together where they can share experiences and learn about new innovations; the events that are directed for children and young people will foster the love of reading; libraries and librarians in the country will directly benefit from the program by learning about new methods and creating partnerships; bookstores and booksellers will be able to expand their stocks by learning about new literary publications of global significance and will be able to develop partnerships. National professional associations that will play a significant role in Yerevan, World Book Capital 2012:
Armenia’s Writers Union, National Association of Publishers, Armenian Society for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries (AOKS), “Hayheghinak” Protection of Copyright NGO, National Academy of Sciences, Journalists Union of Armenia, “Nor-Dar” Literary Union, “Girq” Foundation, The National Library of Armenia,Translators Union of Armenia, “Metaksya Simonyan” Foundation
The quantity and quality of any other noteworthy projects promoting and fostering books and reading: In order to promote and foster reading, Yerevan, World Book Capital 2012 will center its focus and energy on children and young people. Taking as its starting point that books are a treasured wealth, that they instill knowledge and are crucial to development, many of the programs will teach children not only about reading but will help them become potential writers, publishers, journalists and librarians of the future. While having a very rich cultural and literary heritage, Armenia and Armenians were subject to persecution and restriction on their freedom to write and publish works of important significance even in their recent history. The series of programs and events within the framework of Yerevan, World Book Capital 2012 will help foster the concept of freedom of thought, speech and publishing; it will celebrate the early translators who made foreign literature accessible to the masses; it will play a role in the struggle to ensure intellectual property rights while studying new technologies; through international book fairs and conferences it will provide a sustainable environment and culture for reading and underscore the eternity of the word.
The conformity with the principles of freedom of expression, freedom to publish and to distribute information, as stated in the UNESCO Constitution as well as by Articles 19 and 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and by the Agreement on the Importation of Educational, Scientific and Cultural Materials (Florence Agreement).
Today, there continues to be restrictions on fundamental human rights across the globe. Developing nations have a critical stake in the pursuit of freedom and the protection of human rights. Yerevan, Book Capital City 2012 will focus on these fundamental rights by including a broad spectrum of stakeholders, legislators, government agencies, publishers, authors and the public. The preamble of the Florence Agreement states: that the free exchange of ideas and knowledge and, in general, the widest possible dissemination of the diverse forms of self-expression used by civilizations are vitally important both for intellectual progress and international understanding, and consequently for the maintenance of world peace. It is in this spirit and for this reason that Yerevan, Book Capital City 2012 promises to be a catalyst for change in the region.