The celebrations will be different this year due to the coronavirus as the majority of schools and institutions related to books are closed. Under these circumstances, UNESCO invited people to show their love for books over the internet. The title of UNESCO World Book Capital 2020 was awarded to Kuala Lumpur.

The message to us all, as quoted from the UNESCO website: “More than ever, at a time where most of the schools around the world are closed and people are having to limit their time spent outside, the power of books should be leveraged to combat isolation, reinforce ties between people, expand our horizons, while stimulating our minds and creativity.

During the month of April and all year round, it is critical to take the time to read on your own or with your children. It is a time to celebrate the importance of reading, foster children's growth as readers and promote a lifelong love of literature and integration into the world of work”.

From 1 April to 23 April, UNESCO will share quotes, poems and messages to symbolise the power of books and encourage reading as much as possible.  With this aim, they invite students, teachers, readers from around the world as well as the book industry and library services to testify and express their love for reading by using the #StayAtHome and #WorldBookDay hashtags. On its website, UNESCO is also offering materials for people to use to help engage all readers by printing them and sticking them on walls, sharing them on social media or publishing them on their website.

In Slovenia, World Book Day will also be celebrated virtually. The annual Book Night event will take place through online platforms and will last as long as a night on Earth. The main platform in Slovenia will be the nocknjige.si website, with other content available on YouTube, Facebook and other social media. According to its initiator Rok Zavrtanik, the organisers are preparing their content independently. The Slovenian Book Agency has also set up an online book fair, to be held from Thursday to Sunday, where there will be virtual stands for publishers to present themselves.