23 | 04 | 2026

On World Book and Copyright Day we are celebrating 470th anniversary of book "Fishing and Fishing Complaints" by Petar Hektorović (1556)

Source: Pixabay

World Book and Copyright Day is celebrated to emphasise the power of literature, the importance of reading and the role of authors in creating cultural and social values. 
Books are a result of creative work, knowledge and author’s expression. That is why copyright is crucial: it ensures for authors to be recognised and protected, and their works to be widely available and preserved for the future. 

In the year of celebrating 35 years of the SIPO, on the World Book and Copyright Day, we remember Petar Hektorović and his work “Fishing and Fishing Complaints” as a permanent proof of the power of creativity, authorship and intellectual creation. This first verse work in Croatian literature, which describes the journey of a Renaissance man and records the conversations of his fellow travellers - fishermen, was completed in 1556 and published in 1568 in Venice. 

“Fishing and Fishing Complaints” is a unique work of Croatian literature, innovatively combining travelogue, dialogue, poetry and everyday life. This Renaissance work is not only a literary monument of its time, but also an example of how authentic creativity transcends centuries. 
Works like this have shaped cultural identity, but also shown how important it is to preserve and value the work of an author.

✅Protecting authors and their works means protecting culture, identity and creativity.

Throughout the anniversary year, we recall the key moments, authors and ideas that shaped the world of intellectual property, and the book remains one of the most prominent pillars of creative work today!