International Literacy Day / Dia Internacional da Alfabetização

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Each year, September 8th marks the celebration of literacy and learning internationally. International Literacy Day (ILD)was proclaimed by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) on November 17, 1965 and was first celebrated in 1966.

Literacy is more than reading and writing– it is about how we communicate as a society. It is about social practices and relations, about knowledge, language and culture. (United Nations)

On International Literacy Day each year, UNESCO reminds the international community of the status of literacy and adult learning globally. Celebrations take place around the world.

Some 776 million adults lack minimum literacy skills; one in five adults is still not literate and two-thirds of them are women; 75 million children are out-of-school and many more attend irregularly or drop out.

According to UNESCO’s "Global Monitoring Report on Education for All (2008)", South and West Asia has the lowest regional adult literacy rate (58.6%), followed by sub-Saharan Africa (59.7%), and the Arab States (62.7%). Countries with the lowest literacy rates in the world are Burkina Faso (12.8%), Niger (14.4%) and Mali (19%). The report shows a clear connection between illiteracy and countries in severe poverty, and between illiteracy and prejudice against women.

So, The Power of Women's Literacy is the theme chosen for ILD 2010.