International Literacy Day (08 September) History, Significance, Theme and Observation

International Literacy Day Quick Facts

International Literacy Day Brief

Every year 08 September is celebrated as International Literacy Day or World Literacy Day all over the world. According to UNESCO data, India's literacy rate is 72.1 percent. Literacy among males is 80.9 percent, while it is 62.8 percent for females.

Functional literacy is important as India is a country with more than 280 million illiterate adults and adult education is important for India. Government and non-profit organizations are working to bridge this gap.

International Literacy Day History

It was decided by UNESCO on 07 November 1965 to celebrate International Literacy Day on 8 September every year. It was celebrated for the first time in the year 1966. Its celebration was started around the world with the aim of making individuals, societies and communities understand the importance of literacy. This day is specially celebrated to bring back attention to the status of literacy and adult education of the international community.

International Literacy Day Objective

The main objective of Literacy Day is to encourage the newly literates. International Literacy Day is an important day for us, because education is very important in our life. Female literacy is less than males in our country.

We have to take a resolution on this day that every person should become literate, no one should remain illiterate. We have to eradicate illiteracy from our place. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in India is also a meaningful step taken in this direction. Literacy rate in India is 75.06 (2011), which was only 18% in 1947.

India's literacy rate is lower than the world's literacy rate of 84%. In our country every boy and girl in the age group of 6-14 years has the right to free education in school.

International Literacy Day Theme(s)

To implement some strategic plan to solve the problems related to illiteracy in many countries around the world and to make the International Literacy Day effective, with its celebration a special theme of that year is associated with the year wise of International Literacy Day. Some of the topics are given below:-

• The theme of 2006 was "Literacy Sustainable Development" to focus on achieving social progress.
• The theme for the years 2007 and 2008 was "Literacy and Health" to focus on epidemics (diseases spreading like HIV, TB and malaria etc.) and literacy.
• “Literacy and Empowerment” was the issue for the year 2009-10 to focus on gender equality and women empowerment.
• The theme for the year 2011-12 was "Literacy and Peace" to focus on the importance of literacy for peace.
• The theme for the year 2013 was "Literacy for the 21st Century" to promote global literacy.
• The theme for the year 2014 was "Literacy and Sustainable Development" to promote sustainable development in the fields of environmental integration, economic growth and social development.
• The theme for the year 2015 was "Literacy and Sustainable Society".
• The theme for the year 2016 was "Reading the Past, Writing the Future".
• The theme for the year 2017 was "Literacy in the Digital World".
• The theme for the year 2018 was "Literacy and Skill Development".
• The theme of the year 2019 was "Literacy and Multilingualism".
• The theme for the year 2020 was "Literacy Teaching and Learning in the COVID-19 Crisis and its Aftermath".
• The theme for the year 2021 was "Literacy for Human-Centered Recovery: Bridging the Digital Divide".
• The theme for the year 2022 was "Transforming Literacy Learning Space".

More info about International Literacy Day

Importance of International Literacy Day:

International Literacy Day is celebrated to know their rights for human development and society and to promote human consciousness towards literacy. Literacy is as important as food for success and survival.

It is very important to eradicate poverty, reduce child mortality, control population growth, achieve gender equality, etc. Literacy has that ability which can increase the prestige of the family and the country. This festival is celebrated to encourage people towards achieving education continuously and to understand their responsibility towards family, society and country.

Reasons for Low Literacy Rate

• Lack of schools (India is short of about 6 lakh school rooms).
• Lack of toilets etc. in the school.
• Casteism (is an issue in India).
• Poverty (lack of literacy due to overpopulation).
• Fear of girls being raped and molested.
• Lack of awareness.

Important Days of September Month - (National Days and International Days):