WCED online applications 2020

The WCED will add more than 1100 teaching posts. Photo: pexels.com

International Literacy Day: UN celebrates global indigenous languages

This initiative also makes provision for adults to acquire the necessary literacy skills.

WCED online applications 2020

The WCED will add more than 1100 teaching posts. Photo: pexels.com

This year’s International Literacy Day takes place on Monday, 8 September, and the United Nations has dubbed its theme as: “literacy and multilingualism”, in support of indigenous languages across the world.

This day honours the improving world literacy and numeracy rates

This day is established by the United Nations and celebrated annually with a key aim to highlight improvements in literacy, and numeracy rates while also providing a chance to reflect on the world’s literacy challenges.

International Literacy Day plans to eradicate illiteracy and enables organisations and civil society, an opportunity to appreciate the progress being made to a more literate society.

“On the occasion of International Literacy Day 2019, the main characteristics of multilingualism in today’s globalized and digitalized world will be discussed, together with their implications for literacy in policies and practice to achieve greater inclusion in multilingual contexts.”

United Nations

International Literacy Day falls under the International Year of Indigenous Languages

The United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has listed literacy as a key element in measuring sustainable development across countries.

This year, International Literacy Day also celebrates the 2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages and the 25th anniversary of the World Conference on Special Needs Education.

The United Nations is set to celebrate linguistic diversity

The United Nations has noted that progress has been made in literacy rates, however, challenges continue to persist as it is distributed unevenly across countries and populations.

Furthermore embracing linguistic diversity in education, and literacy is crucial to tackling the literacy challenges that continue to persist. Literacy development is central to addressing literacy challenges, as the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals are achieved.

This initiative also makes provision for adults to acquire the necessary literacy skills

In 2015, global leaders established Sustainable Development Goals and centred the core values to support universal access to quality education and learning opportunities.

A prevalent target for this initiative is ensuring that all young people achieve adequate literacy and numeracy skills; while enabling adults who lack the basic skills, an opportunity to acquire them.

International Literacy Day: Why do we celebrate this day?

This day was officially established in 1967 and promotes the importance of literacy as it relates to human rights, and moving towards a literate and sustainable society.

International Literacy Day: How can civilians participate?

People can actively engage through:

  • donating to local literacy charities,
  • participating by joining a book club,
  • or volunteering at a nearby library through promoting reading and writing.