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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 behaviors 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. Despite progress, at least 739 million youth and adults worldwide still lack basic literacy skills in 2024. At the same time, 4 in 10 children are not reaching minimum proficiency in reading, and 272 million children and adolescents were out of school in 2023.

This year, International Literacy Day (ILD) will be celebrated under the theme of “Promoting literacy in the digital era.”

Digitalization has been changing ways in which we learn, live, work and socialize, in both positive and negative ways, depending on how we engage with it. While digital tools can help expand learning opportunities for marginalized groups, including 739 million young people and adults who lack basic literacy skills, this digital shift also risks creating double marginalization – exclusion not only from traditional literacy learning but also from the benefits of the digital age. Digitalization also raises other concerns, including privacy issues, privacy, digital surveillance, reinforced biases, ethics, the risk of passive consumption, and environmental impacts.

Literacy is a key for making these transformations inclusive, relevant and meaningful. Beyond reading and writing on paper, literacy in the digital era enables people to access, understand, evaluate, create, communicate and engage with digital content safely and appropriately. Literacy is also central for fostering critical thinking, discerning credible information and navigating complex information environments.

On 8 September, ILD2025 will celebrate progress in literacy at the global, regional, national and local levels. It will be an opportunity for critical reflection on what literacy means today, and how literacy teaching and learning, programs and policies are designed, managed and monitored in this digital era.

In addition, ILD2025 will spotlight effective policies and interventions that promote literacy as a common good and a human right – and as a lever for empowerment and transformation to build more inclusive, just and sustainable societies.