OVERVIEW
International Literacy Day is celebrated every year on September 8th to raise awareness on the importance of literacy as a basic human right because, even if it’s often taken for granted, many countries still lack access to basic reading and writing skills and they aren’t just the developing ones, because this challenge also exist in our own communities, but is often hidden in plain sight.
It was created in 1966 by UNESCO to have a global reminder that this kind of knowledge is essential not just for individual empowerment but especially for building more inclusive, equitable and sustainable communities.
Lastly, this day also highlights the importance of the education system, governments and organizations that promote literacy on a daily basis with accessible resources, for example Scholaroo, which is a platform that provides global scholarship informations and helps searching for more commodities for students who, in any other cases, would have been unable to continue their studies.
HISTORY – TIMELINE
FIVE FACTS ABOUT LITERACY
BRAIN HEALTH – Studies have shown that giving the brain a daily knowledge workout keeps the braincells healthy as we age, reducing the chances of developing Alzheimer and dementia later in life.
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION – The lack of literary skills limits social engagement and prevents adults and children from being able to fully participate in their own communities.
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION – Learning how to read and write improves our ability to express our feelings, thoughts and ideas with others more clearly.
EMPLYMENT ADVANCEMENT – Literacy is a critical skill for jobs that have many opportunities to advance up in the social-economic ladder, and this is extremely helpful to break every cycle of poverty, one life at a time.
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER – Literacy is the key to personal empowerment and gives us personal dignity and self-worth.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
- International Literacy Day reminds us that illiteracy exists in affluent societies, not just third world countries;
- Illiteracy is a problem that needs to be solved and deserves our attention and participation;
- International Literacy Day gives us a reason to pause and be thankful for the parents, grandparents, siblings, teachers and others who invested their time to help us learn to read and write when we were young;
- Our literacy is a treasure for which we are grateful;
- The cycle of illiteracy is one challenge that can be solved, one child and one adult at a time;
- Approaches such as the government expanding access to charter schools could be helpful in fighting illiteracy.
CONCLUSIONS
International Literacy Day is a call to recognize knowledge as a tool for dignity, freedom and opportunity, reminding us that the ability to read and write opens every door for every aspect of our daily lives, even and especially participating in society.
By investing in literacy at every level, from local programs to global initiatives, we can help in creating a world where everyone has the chance to live in a respectable way, one person at a time.
Source: https://nationaltoday.com/
