International Literacy Day is celebrated across the world on September 8. (Representational)
International Literacy Day is celebrated across the world on September 8 to highlight the importance of education. The day aims to make people aware of the crucial role that literacy plays in our lives and how it helps uplift society and enables one to live with dignity and respect.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) marked September 8 as Literacy Day in 1966. Since then, the day is being observed to underline that literacy is important for individuals, communities, and societies.
Theme
The theme for this year's Literacy Day is "Transforming Literacy Learning Spaces." UNESCO emphasises that this Literacy Day will serve as an opportunity to rethink the fundamental importance of literacy learning spaces to build resilience and ensure quality, equitable, and inclusive education for all.
Why is Literacy Day celebrated?
Described as the ability to read and write, literacy can be a tool to build a more literate and sustainable society. According to UNESCO, achieving literacy across the globe remains to be a challenge with around 771 million illiterate people in the world. Among these, most are women who lack basic skills like reading and writing and face increased vulnerability.
Efforts have been made to overcome the literacy challenge but the progress has been hampered in the past years. Some 24 million people might fail to rejoin formal education in the aftermath of the pandemic, according to UNESCO. Of these, 11 million are projected to be young women and girls.