The International Publishers Association (IPA) leadership takes part in the opening of Yerevan World Book Capital 2012 today, congratulating Yerevan, and inviting the authorities to seize the opportunity given by the World Book Capital title to adopt a strong national book policy as an essential component of an ambitious national economic and cultural policy supporting the development of knowledge-based economy. A key measure is the exemption of all books and e-books from the standard VAT rate.

As initiator of the UNESCO World Book Capital program 10 years ago, IPA attaches great importance to this international endeavour aimed at promoting books, reading and literacy. On opening day of Yerevan, World Book Capital 2012, on the eve of World Book and Copyright Day, IPA Executive Committee member Trasvin Jittidecharak represented the IPA leadership in Yerevan. In her speech during the opening ceremony, Trasvin stressed that this a momentous time for publishing in Armenia, where readership has decreased to a historic low as in many former Soviet Republics. It is therefore also a time of challenges for Armenian publishing and Trasvin invited the Armenian authorities to seize the opportunity given by the World Book Capital title to adopt a strong national book policy this year. A key measure is the exemption of books and e-books from the standard VAT rate currently applied to them in Armenia. Trasvin and the IPA Secretariat will also take this opportunity to meet with IPA’s new affiliate member in Armenia, the Armenian National Publishers Association (ANPA). IPA will cooperate with ANPA and the Armenian publishing community on a number of projects, including a copyright seminar to be held as part of Yerevan World Book Capital in September 2012.

Yerevan was nominated World Book Capital 2012 by an international jury on the account of the “quality and variety of its detailed, realistic, grass-roots programme, focusing on universal issues and linking all the aspects and actors of the book chain”.

More about Yerevan, World Book Capital 2012: www.yerevan2012.org

Trasvin Jittidecharak’s speech on the opening of World Book Capital 2012: