Hello All,

Yesterday was International Literacy Day 2021…

“Literacy is not just about educating, it is a unique and powerful tool to eradicate poverty and a strong means for social and human progress.”

International Literacy Day, designated by UNESCO in 1967, is an annual awareness day which marks the importance of literacy to all countries and cultures. It takes place annually on the 8th September aiming to raise awareness and concern for literacy problems that exist within our own local communities as well as globally.

Who is UNESCO?

UNESCO stands for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The organisation seeks to build peace through international cooperation in Education, the Sciences, and Culture.

They transcend political agendas and were established after World War II ended in 1945 in the pursuit of peace and global cooperation in the fields of Education, Science, and Culture. Their work spans many other areas beyond literacy, but they see this as essential for peace and prosperity.

Why do we need International Literacy Day?

Over 775 million adults struggle with basic literacy, and two-thirds of this figure are women. Celebrating International Literacy Day (ILD) is a brilliant way to raise awareness of the value of literacy and to encourage children and adults alike to develop their literacy skills.

This year, in particular, it's even more important to discuss literacy, as thousands of schools were closed globally and many adult literacy courses and classes also had to be suspended during the COVID-19 crisis.

It's unclear what the impact of this year will have on literacy in the long term, but one thing is clear - it's more important than ever to put the spotlight on literacy skills and encourage children and adults alike to develop them.

Twinkl (2021,September,8) International Literacy Day 2021 retrieved from https://www.twinkl.com.au/event/international-literacy-day-2021

Below is a short YouTube clip that celebrates children from all over the world reading in their Mother Tongue. It is a gorgeous clip that will make some children at HT smile - they LOVE discussing, reading and talking in their Mother Tongue. The power of reading is incredible, and we are so very blessed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gE6d0eK0T4Y

Happy Days.