Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope” ~ Kofi Annan
A person can easily be held back by a lack of essential literacy skills at every stage of their life. They won’t be able to succeed academically as a child, won’t be able to find employment as a young adult, and won’t be able to fund their own child’s education as a parent. A fairer society and social mobility are made more challenging by this intergenerational cycle.
This is why International Literacy Day is celebrated on 08 September every year.
Literacy is the passport to a comfortable and well-settled life. International Literacy Day is celebrated to:
1) Spread awareness of the importance of literacy.
2) Being thankful to be able to read and write.
How Literacy can help?
1) Mental Well-Being
Even reading can help you unwind physically by bringing your heart rate down and releasing tension in your muscles. It offers a constructive diversion.
Reading, writing, and mental math exercises keep brain cells healthy as we age, lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia later in life, according to studies.
Community involvement
The inability of adults and children to participate fully and make contributions to the benefit of society is caused by a lack of literary skills, which restricts social involvement at all age levels.
Effective Communication
The ability to read, write, listen, and speak in a way that allows us to communicate successfully and comprehend the world around us is referred to as literacy. Students who lack fundamental literacy skills may struggle in school, have trouble landing a job, experience inequality, or have trouble getting access to healthcare.
Escape from Poverty
Reading, writing, and mathematic proficiency is necessary for employment that offers the chance to move up the social and economic ladder. One life at a time, literacy helps to break the cycle of poverty.
Theme of international Literacy Day 2023
This year 2023 International Literacy Day will be celebrated worldwide under the theme, ‘"Promoting literacy for a world in transition: Building the foundation for sustainable and peaceful societies". This means helping more people learn how to read, write, and understand things in a changing world. By doing this, we’re creating a strong base for societies that can last a long time and be calm and peaceful. In other words, it’s about making sure everyone can read and write to help our world become better and more peaceful, especially during times of change.
Ways to use the power of literacy in your own life to honour International Literacy Day:
Read a book
When did you last settle in to read a book? Reading offers the door to a world of information and adventure, whether you get it from your neighbourhood bookshop, Amazon, or on your Kindle. You can peek into people’s lives all across the world through books.
Financial Literacy Day Activity
More than ever, it’s crucial to have a strong foundation in financial literacy, but regrettably, neither parents nor teachers frequently emphasize this skill. These financial literacy exercises can help students of all ages learn how to manage their money for the rest of their lives.
Everyone’s future success depends on their ability to use technology.
Together, come up with a list of justifications for the significance of learning to read, write, and speak.