International Literacy Day is an international observance, celebrated each year on 8 September, that was declared by UNESCO on 26 October 1966 at the 14th session of UNESCO’s General Conference. It was celebrated for the first time in 1967. Its aim is to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals, communities and societies.
Celebrations of International Literacy Day have included specific themes, in line with Education For All goals and other United Nations programs such as the United Nations Literacy Decade. Literacy goals are a key part of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
International Literacy Day reminds us that illiteracy exists in affluent societies, not just developing countries. It is a problem that needs to be solved and deserves our attention and participation.
According to a statement (dated April 18, 2013) by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization): “Literacy is a fundamental human right and the foundation for lifelong learning. It is fully essential to social and human development in its ability to transform lives.”
Beyond its conventional concept as a set of reading, writing and counting skills, literacy is now understood as a means of identification, understanding, interpretation, creation, and communication in an increasingly digital, text-mediated, information-rich and fast-changing world.
Literacy is a right. It is implicit in the right to education. It is recognised as a right, explicitly for both children and adults, in certain international conventions. It is included in key international declarations:
- 1948: Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
- 1966: International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
- 1966: International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
- 1960: Convention Against Discrimination Education.
- 1975: Persepolis Declaration – ‘Literacy is not an end in itself. It is a fundamental human right’.
- 1979: Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
- 1989: Convention on the Rights of the Child explicitly recognises literacy not just education.
- 1990: The World Declaration on Education for All (Jomtien, Thailand).
- 1993: Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action emphasises the use of human rights – informed education as a means of combating illiteracy.
- 1997: Hamburg Declaration: ‘Literacy, broadly conceived as the basic knowledge and skills needed by all in a rapidly changing world, is a fundamental human right’ (Resolution 11, UNESCO).
- 2003: UNESCO round-table report Literacy as Freedom: literacy must be understood within a rights-based approach and among principles of inclusion for human development.
- 2005: UNESCO B@bel Initiative.
Literacy has been recognised not only as a right in itself but also as a mechanism for the pursuit of other human rights, just as human rights education is a tool for combating illiteracy.
Are you looking for some great and effective ways to help and celebrate ILD?
⦁ Use creativity as a tool to come up with fun and exciting activities to make literacy fun.
⦁ Help your community raise awareness for ILD and literacy in general.
⦁ Helping illiterate adults learn the skill they need can be a rewarding experience.
⦁ Organize with your community and ask around for donations of old books.
Here are some special hashtags for the day-
#InternationalLiteracyDay #LiteracyDay #EducationForAll #LiteracyDayCelebrations #LiteracyDayQuotes #Literature #UNLiteracyDay
