Imagine living in a world where every sign is a mystery, every form is a barrier, and every document is a reminder of missed opportunities. This is the reality for 773 million people worldwide who cannot read or write. Literacy is a fundamental human right that opens doors to other rights, freedoms, and global citizenship.
Since 1967, International Literacy Day (ILD), celebrated on September 8 each year, has served as a reminder to policymakers, practitioners, and the public of the crucial role literacy plays in fostering a more literate, just, peaceful, and sustainable society.
Literacy is the bedrock for acquiring knowledge, skills, values, and behaviours, all of which are essential for nurturing a culture of lasting peace. It is based on respect for equality and non-discrimination, the rule of law, solidarity, justice, diversity, and tolerance, and helps build harmonious relationships with oneself, others, and the planet.
Yet, in 2022, around one in seven adults aged 15 and over—approximately 754 million people—lacked basic literacy skills. Additionally, millions of children are struggling to reach even the minimum levels of proficiency in reading, writing, and numeracy, while around 250 million children aged 6-18 are not in school.
This year’s International Literacy Day theme is “Promoting Multilingual Education: Literacy for Mutual Understanding and Peace.” There is an urgent need to leverage the transformative power of literacy to promote mutual understanding, social cohesion, and peace.
In a world where multilingualism is increasingly common, a multilingual approach to literacy development and education—based on first languages—proves particularly effective due to its cognitive, pedagogical, and socio-economic benefits. Such an approach fosters mutual respect, strengthens communal identities, and preserves collective histories.
ILD2024 will address literacy issues in multilingual contexts and explore solutions to enhance policies, lifelong learning systems, governance, programmes, and practices. The event will be celebrated both in-person and online at global, regional, national, and local levels.
The global celebration will be held September 9 and 10, 2024, in Yaoundé, Cameroon. It will feature a global conference, the UNESCO International Literacy Prizes award ceremony, and side events such as the annual meeting of the Global Alliance of Literacy within the Framework of Lifelong Learning (GAL), meetings of the Action Research on Measuring Literacy and Alternative Education (RAMAED), and the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities. This event will also spotlight the literacy agenda in Cameroon and Africa, which is aligned with the African Union’s Year of Education and Beyond.