International Literacy Day 2023: Date, History, Facts, Activities

International Literacy Day is observed annually on 8 September to raise awareness and concern for literacy issues in our local communities and around the world. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation, or UNESCO, established International Literacy Day in 1966 “to remind the public of the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and human rights.” International Literacy Day reassigns the challenges of illiteracy to local communities, where literacy begins with one individual. Observe this day by utilising resources such as Scholaroo, a global scholarship database.

The background of International Literacy Day

Since the first International Literacy Day more than fifty years ago, literacy rates have improved significantly, but illiteracy remains a global problem. It is estimated that more than 750 million adults worldwide are illiterate. No nation or culture on earth is immune to the scourge of illiteracy, including the United States, where an estimated 32 million adults are illiterate.

What is precisely literacy? Literacy is defined by the Miriam-Webster Dictionary as “the quality or state of being literate: educated…able to read and write.” Because you are able to read this post and likely spend a great deal of time reading online, you may find it hard to believe that there are people living and working in your own community who cannot read not only this post, but also books, restaurant menus, road signs, voting ballots, instruction manuals, prescription bottle labels, and cereal boxes.

Can you fathom living in the twenty-first century without the ability to read and write? International Literacy Day is dedicated to eradicating illiteracy in all local communities around the globe.

In 1965, the “World Conference of Ministers of Education on the Eradication of Illiteracy” was convened in Tehran, Iran, where the first International Literacy Day was conceived. The following year, UNESCO took the initiative and proclaimed September 8 as International Literacy Day, with the purpose of “reminding the international community of the significance of literacy for individuals, communities, and societies, and the need for increased efforts towards more literate societies.” A year later, the international community embraced the challenge of eradicating illiteracy by participating in the inaugural International Literacy Day.

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Activities for International Literacy Day.

Donate literature to classrooms in the area.

To keep young students engaged in reading, elementary school classroom libraries must always include new reading materials. Ask your child’s teachers for a wish list of books they believe their students will appreciate, and then donate those books to the class. If you do not have a child in school, consider donating to the classroom libraries of colleagues, relatives, or neighbours. International Literacy Day will make you their idol.

Donate a book

Children are naturally inquisitive about their surroundings. Reading satisfies their thirst for knowledge and stimulates their imagination. Gifts of books are well-received for birthdays, festivals, or just to say “I was thinking about you.” And isn’t International Literacy Day the ideal opportunity to tell the children in your life, “I was thinking about you” by giving them each a book? Remember that adults also enjoy receiving books as gifts.

Establish a local lending library.

Today, establish a small lending library in your neighbourhood with the help of family, friends, and neighbours. In 2009, Todd Bol of Hudson, Wisconsin established the first “Free Little Library” to make book sharing readily available and accessible at any time to his community. His “take a book, return a book” philosophy is based on the honour system. We appreciate that these little libraries are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with no late fees or fines.

5 REASONS WHY EVERYONE SHOULD READ AND WRITE

Studies indicate that reading, writing, and working with numbers on a daily basis maintains brain cells healthy and reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia later in life.

Adults and children are unable to completely participate and contribute to the betterment of society due to their lack of literacy skills, which restricts their social participation at all ages.

Reading and writing enhances our ability to communicate with others by enhancing oral language, allowing us to express our feelings, thoughts, and ideas more clearly.

Reading, writing, and working with numbers are essential skills for careers that provide opportunities for social and economic advancement. Individually, literacy breaks the cycle of destitution.

Literacy is the key to personal empowerment and bestows us with dignity and self-respect.

INTERNATIONAL LITERACY DAY DATES

Year	Date	Day
2023	September 8	Friday
2024	September 8	Sunday
2025	September 8	Monday
2026	September 8	Tuesday
2027	September 8	Wednesday