Updated February 10, 2023
World Literacy Day
Literacy is the minimum requirement if we wish to see change around us. How can one imagine a world full of people with no one or very few who know how to read and write their names? Literacy is a means to provide people with their rights and dignity.
Don’t confuse literacy with education, as these two are completely different things. Since 1967, International Literacy Day has been celebrated to make literacy a basic need for human sustenance and to empower people in the changing world. Gone are the days when literacy was generalized and never provided the required importance; we need more literate individuals worldwide to achieve a sustainable society and inclusive growth. UNESCO takes charge of creating awareness about literacy in the world by organizing International Literacy Day.
When it is Celebrated?
International literacy day is celebrated on 8th September every year as announced by UNESCO. To realize the importance of literacy, marking a day, especially for it, is mandatory.
On 8th September, various offline and online events are organized by UNESCO to spread awareness and promote literacy. Different countries, the United Nations, NGOs, and other organizations organize seminars and events to manifest the importance of literacy.
The Theme of International Literacy Day 2023
The theme for 2022 is yet to be decided. However, the theme for 2022 was Transforming Literary Learning Spaces. The themes are decided so that it covers a broader perspective and gives a goal to the world. The 2022 theme focuses on providing quality education that promotes inclusive growth most affordably.
History of International Literacy Day Celebration
Everything we see began with a cause and did the celebration of International Literacy Day. The Ministers of Education, in a world conference led in Tehran, came up with the concept of World Literacy Day back in 1965.
This idea influenced many organizations and countries, and finally, in a General Conference of UNESCO, they passed a resolution to recognize 8th September as International Literacy Day, as you know today. The resolution of 1966 continued, and the celebration beginning in 1967 took place every day on the same date. It has helped to improve the quality, accessibility, and affordability of education for many.
How Important is This Day?
The importance of this day is understood by comparing the literacy of males and females before 1967 and what it is today. In the 1960s, the literacy rate of both males and females was merely 42%. After 1967 literacy grew by around 4% every five years, and today the literacy rate is around 87%.
You can see the drastic change over the years. This increase was slow but changed the face of the current world. The responsibility lies not only with the big organization but with us, the world’s citizens as well. The celebration of literacy day is a means to remind everyone of the importance of literacy to build a stronger and faster world capable of making changes. With different themes every year on this day, a new goal and message are sent to everybody.
Quick Facts to Know
Read some facts to know more about literacy on the special day of International Literacy Day 2023. Let’s check it out!
- The world’s most literate country is Canada. According to OECD data, 60% is the literacy rate of Canada, with more than 85% having Secondary education.
- According to reports, Taiwan has the most literate women, followed by Estonia.
- An African country Burkina Faso stood at last on the ladder of literacy.
- According to Global Education Monitoring reports 2019, $ 4.7 billion was spent worldwide on literacy but only 0.5% on low-income countries.
- The disparity in literacy and education has decreased over education between males and females in many countries.
- SDG goal 4 is quality education for all, focusing on the importance of education for everyone.
- Unfortunately, even today, one out of seven adults is illiterate when literacy is considered a human right.
- The world’s female literacy rate needs improvement for countries’ overall growth and development.
- Around 775 million adults worldwide fail to read and write and are functionally illiterate.
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