Wise people consider the book to be a source of knowledge, intelligence, wisdom, and excellence. And this is not without reason, because the highest qualities and the real enlightenment is acquired only by reading. Reading a book is a very important technique that nourishes the human soul and fills the spiritual void inside. A book is a spiritual legacy left by one generation to another. The history of our spiritual life has been closely connected with book since the earliest times, and with a view of meeting its needs the book was improved and assumed new forms. Stone inscriptions, clay tablets, papyri, parchments, great ancestors of modern books, constitute the spiritual wealth of the ancient world culture.

The world's first copyright law was the Statute of Anne, enacted in England in 1710. Legislation based on the Statute of Anne gradually appeared in other countries and became coordinated at an international level in the 19th century. The modern influence of copyright and book in the world is explained by their role in the intellectualization of society and cultural enrichment. There are two principal international conventions protecting copyright: the Berne Convention of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), which has about 160 member states, and the Universal Copyright Convention (UCC) of UNESCO, with over 80 member states.

During the 28th session of UNESCO's General Conference held in Paris, France, from 25th October to 16th November 1995, UNESCO adopted a resolution proclaiming the 23rd of April as World Book and Copyright Day.
             
The first-ever World Book and Copyright Day was observed on April 23, 1996. World Book and Copyright Day have been marked in Azerbaijan since 1997. April 23 is considered a symbolic date in world literature. Every year, on that day the world pays a tribute to three great authors of universal literature, Miguel de Cervantes, William Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega who passed away on April 23. Every year, numerous events are held at UNESCO headquarters and around the world to commemorate this significant day, involving publishers, libraries, bookstores, and related institutions.
            
Being a member of the World Intellectual Property Organization since 1995, Azerbaijan is gradually increasing its relations in this field. In 2001, an agreement was signed between the Intellectual Property Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Russian Authors’ Society on the collective management of authors' property rights and mutual assistance. Azerbaijan joined the conventions and agreements in the field of copyright and related rights under the administrative management of WIPO, including the Berne Convention "For the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works" (1999), the WIPO Convention "For the Protection of Producers of Phonograms Against Unauthorized Duplication of Their Phonograms" (2001), the Rome Convention "For the Protection of Performers, Producers of Phonograms and Broadcasting Organisations" (2005), the World Intellectual Property Organization Copyright Treaty (2005) and the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (2005).

The "Cooperation Program between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the World Intellectual Property Organization" signed in Baku on March 3, 2006, and approved by the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated May 30, 2006, had a great impact on the further expansion of Azerbaijan's international relations in the protection of intellectual property rights. The Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan "On provision of the Copyright Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan" dated September 6, 2017, is one of the most important documents that stimulate the implementation of successful and systematic measures in copyright and open the way for innovations in this field.
 
According to the Decree of President Ilham Aliyev "On measures to improve management in the field of consumer market surveillance, standardization, metrology and protection of intellectual property rights objects" dated April 20, 2018, the Intellectual Property Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan was established through the reorganization of the Copyright Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Patent and Trademark Center. The main tasks of the agency are the protection and enforcement of copyright and similar rights, the management of digital rights, the fight against counterfeiting and piracy, as well as ensuring honesty, openness and transparency for patent and trademark applicants.

In April 2021, President Ilham Aliyev signed a Decree on the establishment of the "Technology Commercialization and Transfer Center" within the Intellectual Property Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The center provides links between science and industry, mutual order and supply relations, technology transfer and commercialization of intellectual activity to increase the quality and application of inventive activity, serves to support innovative development, including startup projects, commercial and non-commercial research results.

Celebration of April 23 - World Book and Copyright Day has become an established tradition in Azerbaijan, and a series of events are held every year by the Copyright Agency. The purpose of holding such events is to emphasize the great significance of the book in human life, to reveal the role of copyright in the creation and preservation of cultural heritage, and to underline its importance in sustainable economic development and the formation of the information society, to show respect and reverence for creators of intellectual property and to focus attention on the preservation of our cultural heritage and traditions.

Recommended literature:

1. Tahirqızı, Şəhla. Müəllif hüququ : dərs vəsaiti / Ş. Tahirqızı ; elmi red.: B. Allahverdiyev, A. Talıbov. - Bakı : Nurlan, 2008. - 154 s.
2. İmanov, Kamran Sultan oğlu. Müəlliflik hüququ və digər əqli mülkiyyət hüquqları müasir mərhələdə / K. S. İmanov. - Bakı : Azərbaycan Respublikası Müəllif hüquqları Agentliyi, 2015. - 19 s.
3. İmanov, Kamran Sultan oğlu. Əqli mülkiyyət : folklorun və ənənəvi biliklərin qorunması və erməni plagiatçılığı / K. S. İmanov. - Bakı : Azərbaycan Respublikası Müəllif hüquqları Agentliyi, 2015. - 32 s.
4. İmanov, Kamran Sultan oğlu. Erməni müəlliflərinin kitablarındakı uydurmalara "müəlliflik hüququ" / K. S. İmanov ; Bakı Beynəlxalq Multikulturalizm Mərkəzi, Azərbaycan Respublikası Müəllif Hüquqları Agentliyi. - Bakı : Azərbaycan Respublikası Müəllif hüquqları Agentliyi, 2016. - 18 s.