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Every year, International Literacy Day is observed on September 8, highlighting the importance of literacy as a fundamental human right and a vital part of personal and social development. Started in 1967 by UNESCO, this day serves as a global reminder of the power of reading and writing in empowering individuals.
Despite its significant developments in recent times, there are still millions of people worldwide who lack basic access to education, employment and growth opportunities. International Literacy Day encourages governments, organizations, and communities to come together and make to reduce literacy gaps and create a bright future for everyone.
International Literacy Day 2024 Date and Theme
International Literacy Day 2024 will be observed on September 8. This year the theme for International Literacy Day is "Promoting multilingual education: Literacy for mutual understanding and peace".
To bring about enduring peace, International Literacy Day 2024 will focus on problems related to literacy in multilingual settings and explore possible solutions for improving laws, programs, governance and lifelong learning systems. It will be observed locally, nationally, regionally, and globally both in person and virtually, as per UNESCO.
International Literacy Day History and Significance
Since 1967, International Literacy Day has been annually celebrated on September 8. As quoted by UNESCO, "Literacy is a fundamental human right for all. It opens the door to the enjoyment of other human rights, greater freedoms, and global citizenship. Literacy is a foundation for people to acquire broader knowledge, skills, values, attitudes, and behaviours to foster a culture of lasting peace based on respect for equality and non-discrimination, the rule of law, solidarity, justice, diversity, and tolerance and to build harmonious relations with oneself, other people and the planet. In 2022, however, at least one out of seven adults aged 15 and above (754 million) lacked basic literacy skills. Additionally, millions of children are struggling to acquire minimum levels of proficiency in reading, writing and numeracy, while some 250 million children of 6-18 years old are out of school."
