World Book and Copyright Day: Leaders and innovators share their favorite books

Tomorrow marks the 31st World Book and Copyright Day. Every year, on April 23, UNESCO celebrates this day in recognition of the power of books as a bridge between generations and across cultures. This day reminds people around the world of the value of reading, which enriches the mind, broadens horizons and connects different hearts.

In China, the reading atmosphere is becoming increasingly strong. The results of the 23rd National Reading Survey show that the comprehensive reading rate of Chinese adult citizens has steadily climbed to 82.3%, with an average reading volume of 8.39 paper books and e-books per person. At the same time, the book reading rate of minors aged 0 to 17 has reached 86.7%, with an average reading volume of 11.72 books per person. In the digital age, the more efficient the tools are, the more we need to engage in in-depth reading, and China is making unremitting efforts to build a scholarly society.

On the occasion of the 31st World Book and Copyright Day, CGTN spoke to three leaders in their respective fields to share their top reading recommendations - stories of loss, triumph and the enduring human bonds which transcend borders. 

Irish Ambassador to China Nicholas O'Brien recommends "They May Face the Rising Sun," the classic novel by Irish literary giant John McGahern that paints a lyrical portrait of rural life. Blending themes of emigration, homecoming and communal bonds in Ireland, the book unfolds like a tender pastoral poem, celebrating resilience and warmth amid changing seasons.

Watch the video to join the ambassador on a narrative journey and immerse yourself in the heartfelt simplicity of Irish village life – where neighbors worked side by side in the fields and weathered storms together, embodying the spirit of enduring kinship.

UN Under-Secretary-General Melissa Fleming presents the Chinese edition of "A Hope More Powerful than the Sea," recounting one of the most harrowing true stories: Doaa Al Zamel, a young Syrian woman who survived a shipwreck during her perilous escape by sea. As 500 refugees, including her fiance, drowned around her, she endured four days and nights adrift – fighting not only for her own life but also to protect two babies entrusted to her by strangers.

This is not a work of fiction – it is history in the making.

More than four decades ago, Roberta Lipson, a young American woman, embarked on a journey to China and co-established what would become United Family Healthcare.

From challenging beginnings to United Family Healthcare's current success, Roberta sought to understand how to live a more meaningful life. The answer, she discovered, lay within the pages of "Tuesdays with Morrie" - a memoir by an American journalist about his life-changing conversations with a terminally ill professor. 

About PAGE X

PAGE X invites guests from diverse fields to share a single selection from one of their favorite books. Through our speakers' interpretations, this program offers the public online access to the world's greatest intellectual works, helping them rediscover the enduring charm of reading.