International Literacy Day is observed annually on September 8th as a way to bring attention to the importance of literacy and the issues that surround us in our local communities. This day was proclaimed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) back in 1966 and has been celebrated every year since. 

Literacy day is important because literacy is the cornerstone of education and without it, people wouldn’t be able to progress or develop in society. Take this day as an opportunity to help spread the word about the importance of literacy!

Why Celebrate Literacy Day?

International Literacy Day is a day that is observed by people all around the world. The purpose of this day is to remind people of the importance of literacy and how it can positively affect communities, societies, and individuals. Additionally, this day serves as a way to highlight the positive effects that come with having a higher literacy rate.

Unesco website explains it is celebrated “annually around the world to remind the public of the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and human rights, and to advance the literacy agenda towards a more literate and sustainable society. Despite progress made, literacy challenges persist with 771 million illiterate people around the world, most of whom are women, who still lack basic reading and writing skills and are faced with increased vulnerability”.

What is the theme for this year?

The theme for International Literacy Day this year is “Transforming Literacy Learning Spaces” and its focus will be urging people to rethink the fundamental importance of literacy learning spaces to build resilience and ensure quality, equitable, and inclusive education for all individuals around the globe. 

This year, Unesco and all the other stakeholders are focusing more on the changing definition of ‘rapid changes’ in the context of the coronavirus pandemic that brought the whole world to a standstill in 2020 and affected hundreds of millions of lives around the globe. 

In particular, they want to emphasize how quickly things can change and how important it is to be adaptable in order to ensure that everyone has access to quality education despite any obstacles that might come up.