PURPOSE: By the resolution 14 C/Resolutions; Since 1967, International Literacy Day (ILD) is observed on 8 September. The celebrations have taken place annually around the world to remind the public of the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and human rights, and to advance the literacy agenda towards a more literate and sustainable society. Despite progress made, literacy challenges persist with at least 773 million young people and adults lacking basic literacy skills today. Literacy is central to a person’s lifelong learning journey. It is also fundamental to the empowerment of refugees, migrants and internally displaced persons (IDPs). Literacy contributes to resilience building, improved self-confidence and self-esteem, greater prospects for employment, better health outcomes, a stronger sense of agency, and motivation to learn and to socially integrate.
FORUM: ‘Promoting literacy for a world in transition: Building the foundation for sustainable and peaceful societies’. International Literacy Day 2023. ILD2023, sheds light on the centrality and transformative power of literacy for shaping a future world with a greater degree of social, economic, and environmental justice and peace. It will be an opportunity to join efforts to accelerate progress towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) on education and lifelong learning and to reflect on the role of literacy in building more inclusive, peaceful, just, and sustainable societies. In doing so, it will embrace the reciprocal relations between literacy and other areas of development: Literacy is central to the creation of such societies, while progress in other areas of development contributes to generating interest and motivation of people to acquire, use, and further develop their literacy and numeracy skills. Follow the conversation with the hashtags #LiteracyDay; #LiteracyLearningSpaces; #8september.
EVENTS: The ceremony to mark the International Literacy Day and Literacy Prizes 2023 will be held on 8 September 2023 from 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France in the Room IX and Room II, immediately after the Digital Learning Week (Paris, 4-7 September 2023) . The ILD2023 will be celebrated at the global, regional, country, and local levels across the world. At the global level, a conference will be organized in person and online under the theme ‘Promoting literacy for a world in transition: Building the foundation for sustainable and peaceful societies’. The Main expected outcomes of ILD2023 are:
• Raise awareness of the literacy promotion as the ‘two-way process’, through which the ‘literacy and numeracy learning’ and ‘advancement in different areas of development and peace’ are mutually reinforced as integral part of lifelong learning.
• Relevant knowledge, experiences, and solutions identified and shared for unleashing the transformative power of literacy at the system, programme, content and practice levels, towards more sustainable and peaceful societies.
• Cooperation and partnerships fostered for promoting literacy.
This global celebration will include the award ceremony of the UNESCO International Literacy Prizes to announce this year's outstanding prizewinning programmes. The day will bring together policymakers, practitioners, development partners, youth, and individuals. Register to attend the event!
Celebrations around the world: On International Literacy Day 2023, join the #ImALifelongLearner campaign and share your literacy learning story. Literacy is an integral part of the right to education and the foundation of lifelong learning as well as a driver for sustainable development. The campaign serves as a reminder that the right to education is a right to lifelong learning that knows no age limits. Join the #ImALifelongLearner campaign!
STATEMENTS: Statement from the UNESCO Director-General on International Literacy Day 2023; September 8th.
PODCASTS: Literacy learning spaces include the physical environment, learning materials, and activities required to facilitate the creation of the space, while the socio-cultural environment, political environment, partnerships, and the assessment of literacy activities is crucial for the sustenance of these spaces. Listen to the Audio Podcasts!
CAMPAIGN MATERIALS: Embracing multiple types of literacy learning spaces such as home, community, workplace, digital, and hybrid, ensures a holistic approach by involving all key-stakeholders and meets the learning needs of youth and adults of different profiles and contexts. Get the ILD 2023 Poster!
WHY WE CELEBRATE THE DAY?
Celebrated on September 8 each year, ILD was created by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 1967 to remind the public of the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and human rights, and to advance the literacy agenda towards a more literate and sustainable society. Despite progress made, literacy challenges persist with 771 million illiterate people around the world, most of whom women, who still lack basic reading and writing skills and are faced with increased vulnerability. aligned with your core values and interests. Having adequate literacy skills means being able to understand, evaluate, use and engage with written texts. It also means being able to participate in society, achieve your goals, and develop your knowledge and potential. Research shows that adults who have inadequate literacy skills are more likely to have poorer overall health, lower salaries, and lower levels of participation in their community.
We wish you a safe, happy, and healthy International Literacy Day and look forward to hearing the different ways you bring readers together around the globe both today and throughout the year.
ACTIONS
If reimagining literacy through a global lens is new to the work that you do, or if you are looking to transform literacy in global ways in the aftermath of the pandemic, we share a few tips that have helped to bring our work into perspective:
Connect with a colleague from across the globe. Consider attending an international literacy conference (virtually, or in person!).
Evaluate your local/school/classroom libraries to inventory representation of voices and diverse experiences from around the world.
Explore possible literacy networking opportunities to Identify a global affiliate participating in initiatives and projects
Increase awareness of diverse literacy learning spaces centred on needs of youth and adults based on new knowledge and evidence related to effective policies, systems, governance, programmes, teaching and learning practice, and monitoring of learning spaces.
Leverage the existing progress and transformation in the development of literacy learning spaces while setting the stage for lifelong learning.
Adapt the existing and the upcoming transformation in the literacy learning spaces to ensure quality, equitable, and inclusive education for all.
Connect the learning pathways between informal, non-formal and formal education systems and account for the literacy learning outcomes taking place in the unconventional spaces.
PARTNERSHIPS
The International Literacy Day is organized by the UNESCO and the UNESCO Regional Offices; the International Literacy Association (ILA); The Literacy and lifelong learning (UIL); The Global Alliance for Literacy (GAL) and the UNESCO Global literacy statistics (UIS).
With the collaboration of the Federation of European Literacy Associations (FELA) Conference the Literacy Association of Ireland (LAI), the International Reading Association, the The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), the American Literary Association (ALA), The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), the EDUCATION COUNTS, the Australian Literacy Educators' Association., the Australian Council for Adult Literacy, the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation (ALNF), the Reading Association of Russia (Русская Ассоциация Чтения), the Russian Association for Film and Media Education, the Canadian Children's Literacy Foundation, the ABC Life Literacy Canada and the National Literacy Trust.
With the participation of Civil society organizations, Public and Private sectors, Non-Governmental Organizations; Teachers and Educators, Librarians and writters and academics.