International Literacy Day 2018 observed globally

8 September: International Literacy Day 2018 

The 52nd International Literacy Day was celebrated across the world on September 8, 2018 with an aim to highlight improvements in world literacy rates, and reflect on the existing literacy challenges.
Theme 2018: Literacy and skills development
This year's theme explores integrated approaches that simultaneously support the development of literacy and skills, to ultimately improve people’s lives and contribute to equitable and sustainable societies.
The day was commemorated by a two-day special event at UNESCO’s headquarters, Paris. It also saw the hosting of the 2018 UNESCO International Literacy Prize awards ceremony.

The Literacy Prizes consists of five prizes. They are International Reading Association Literacy Award, Noma Literacy Prize, UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize, The Malcolm Adiseshiah International Literacy Prize and UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy.
Literacy, a part of UN's Sustainable Development Goals
The issue of literacy is a key component of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
As per Sustainable Development Goal 4, the aim is to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. The target is that by 2030 all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy.
How International Literacy Day 2018 was celebrated in India?    

The Union Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD) organised a panel discussion on the occasion of International Literacy Day. The panel was headed by chief guest HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and the guest of honour, Upendra Kushwaha. 

In India, the day was celebrated at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi with the same theme.

When was the Day proclaimed and Why?

• On this day, in 1965, the World Congress of Ministers of Education met in Tehran, capital of Iran, for the first time to discuss the programme of education at the international level.

• The day was given its status by UNESCO in its 14th session in November 1966 

• Ever since then, the day is celebrated annually on 8 September by most of the member countries.

• The main objective behind the day’s observance was to mobilise public opinion in favour of struggle against illiteracy.

• Every year, a theme is chosen to highlight the importance of literacy associated issues.

• The day is a forum to disseminate information on literacy and raise public awareness and the significance of literacy for individual and national development.

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