International Literacy Day 2023: Date, Theme, History, Significance & Activities

International Literacy Day 2023 is celebrated today on Friday, 8 September 2023.

International Literacy Day 2023: Know the date, theme, history, significance, and more.

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International Literacy Day (ILD) is celebrated every year on 8 September. The day is dedicated to create awareness, and educate people about the significance of literacy for developing a literate, intellectual, and sustainable society.

Despite global efforts and measures to eradicate the illiteracy, literacy challenges and barriers still exist in our societies. Furthermore, climatic changes, health crises, and conflicts have exacerbated such challenges.

The main agenda of observing the International Literacy Day is not only to overcome the literacy challenges, but also make education accessible, inclusive, and peaceful.

When Is the International Literacy Day 2023?

Like every year, International Literacy Day is celebrated today on Friday, 8 September 2023.

According to UNESCO, "ILD2023 will be an opportunity to join efforts to accelerate progress towards the achievement of the 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."

What Is the Theme of International Literacy Day 2023?

According to UNESCO, the theme of  International Literacy Day 2023 is "Promoting Literacy for a World in Transition: Building the Foundation for Sustainable and Peaceful Societies."

History of International Literacy Day

The history of International Literacy Day dates back to 8 September 1967, when UNESCO established the day to promote literacy on a global level. The main idea behind celebrating this day was to make quality education accessible to everyone irrespective of the gender, caste, sex, and age.

Prior to establishing the International Literacy Day, UNESCO launched a series of initiatives and campaigns to promote literacy and eradicate illiteracy on an International level.

According to UNESCO, "Since 1967, International Literacy Day (ILD) 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."

Significance of International Literacy Day

The significance of International Literacy Day includes the following:

• To promote education on a global level. Education is the fundamental right of every individual. Therefore, the day has been established to make quality education accessible to everyone regardless of gender, caste, sex, and age.

• To create awareness among people about the literacy challenges that are still faced by millions of people across the globe. Without education, people can't contribute to the social and economic development of nation.

• One of the main aims of celebrating the International Literacy Day is to promote sustainable development in different aspects including reducing poverty, supporting gender equality, encouraging economic growth.

• To empower people through education so that they can improve their quality of life, and make better and informed decisions.

• To eradicate gender disparities. International Literacy Day is an initiative to remove the gap between the education of men and women. The day strictly promotes the slogan 'Education for All'.

International Literacy Day 2023 Activities

People can participate in the International Literacy Day celebrations by engaging in the following activities:

Writing Workshops: Host writing workshops to aware people about the different types of writing including poetry, journaling, professional writing, creative writing etc.

Book Donation: You can donate your old books to the poor and underprivileged, and encourage your friends and family to do the same.

Book Exchange Programs: You can host book exchange programs, where people can get an opportunity to grab new books in exchange of the books that they have already read.

Book Reading Marathon: You can host an online or offline book reading marathon, in which people can discuss the information that they have achieved after reading specific books. This will be an awesome knowledge exchange method.

Literacy Campaigns: People can participate in online literacy campaigns by using hashtags like #InternationalLiteracyDay, #LiteracyDay, #Literacy, #LiteracyforAll, etc. Provide as much information about literacy as you can. so that people will understand the importance of the day.