International Literacy Day
Since 1967, the annual celebrations of International Literacy Day (ILD) have taken place on 8 September around the world to remind policy-makers, practitioners, and the public of the critical importance of literacy for creating more literate, just, peaceful, and sustainable society.
Literacy is a fundamental human right for all. It opens the door to the enjoyment of other human rights, greater freedoms, and global citizenship. Literacy is a foundation for people to acquire broader knowledge, skills, values, attitudes, and behaviours to foster a culture of lasting peace based on respect for equality and non-discrimination, the rule of law, solidarity, justice, diversity, and tolerance and to build harmonious relations with oneself, other people and the planet. In 2022, however, at least one out of seven adults aged 15 and above () lacked basic literacy skills. Additionally, millions of children are struggling to acquire minimum levels of proficiency in reading, writing and numeracy, while some 250 million children of 6-18 years old are out of school.
Celebrations in 2024
This year, ILD will be celebrated under the theme of "Promoting multilingual education: Literacy for mutual understanding and peace".
There is a pressing need to harness the transformative potential of literacy for promoting mutual understanding, social cohesion, and peace. In today’s world, in which multilingualism is a common practice for many, empowering people by adopting a first language-based, multilingual approach to literacy development and education is particularly effective for its cognitive, pedagogical, and socio-economic benefits. Such an approach can help promote mutual understanding and respect, while solidifying communal identities and collective histories.
ILD2024 will unpack issues related to literacy in multilingual contexts for achieving lasting peace and will explore possible solutions for enhancing policies, lifelong learning systems, governance, programmes, and practices. ILD2024 will be celebrated in-person and online at the global, regional, national, and local levels.
The global celebration will be held on 9 and 10 September 2024 in Yaoundé, Cameroon, It will include a global conference, the award ceremony of the UNESCO International Literacy Prizes, and side events, such as the annual meeting of Global Alliance of Literacy within the Framework of Lifelong Learning (GAL) and meetings of the Action Research on Measuring Literacy and Alternative Education (RAMAED), and the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities. It will also be an opportunity to shed light on the literacy agenda in Cameroon and Africa in the context of the African Union’s Year of Education and beyond.
"The benefits of multilingual education are well documented and evidenced by research. When children are offered education in their household language, more of them attend school, girls from rural areas stay in education longer, and all children acquire better thinking skills. Multilingual education also supports intercultural dialogue, social cohesion and peace. For language is a passport to communication with others: it connects us across cultures; it opens us to new ways of perceiving and interpreting the world; it strengthens understanding within and between peoples."
- Download the complete message: - - - - -
Join the #ImALifelongLearner campaign
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.
Young voices: Youth stories for global literacy and peace
Explore how multilingual education has profoundly impacted the development of diverse communities, fostering greater understanding, inclusion, and peace across various cultural landscape in this series of stories written by in SDG4 Youth & Student Network.
What UNESCO does for literacy
News
Discover more international days
World Day for African and Afrodescendant Culture - African World Heritage Day - International day against violence and bullying at school including cyberbullying - World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development - International Day of Education - International Day of the Girl - International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust - Human Rights Day - International Day of Light - International Mother Language Day - Nelson Mandela International Day - World Oceans Day - World Philosophy Day - World Poetry Day - World Press Freedom Day - International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition - World Teachers' Day - International Day for Tolerance - International Women's Day - International Day of Women and Girls in Science - World Art Day - World Book and Copyright Day - World Radio Day - World Water Day