International Literacy Day

For more than 40 years, UNESCO has been celebrating the International Literacy Day on 8 September with the aim to highlight the importance of literacy and to globally remind the international community that literacy is a human right and the foundation of all learning. It is essential for eradicating poverty, reducing child mortality, ensuring sustainable development, and achieving gender equality (via).



While illiteracy, the total inability to read and write, has been more or less eradicated in Europe, the phenomenon of "functional illiteracy" is becoming increasingly serious as those affected e.g. have little access to employment and are more likely to be marginalised. Functional illiteracy refers to reading and writing skills that are insufficient to manage daily living.

Europe 2012. Together against functional illiteracy. Facts, information and solutions (via), photo via