UN International Literacy Day – 08 September, SDGs 3, 4, & 10
UN International Literacy Day – September 08, 2026
Let’s celebrate United Nations/UNESCO International Literacy Day on Tuesday, September 8, 2026. Literacy is critical to economic development as well as individual and community well-being. Effective literacy skills open doors to more educational and employment opportunities so that people are able to pull themselves out of poverty and chronic underemployment. International Literacy Day 2026 will celebrate the theme “Literacy for people, the planet and prosperity, highlighting the role of literacy in promoting inclusion, supporting sustainable futures and expanding opportunities for livelihoods and economic development” ~UNESCO.
In Canada, the national government launched these skills as part of our Skills for Success campaign. We believe these are everyday skills needed for work, learning and life. These nine skills include reading, writing, numeracy, communication, problem-solving, creativity and innovation, adaptability and collaboration. The national government provides individuals and organizations with tools to build the nine essential skills. One of the hidden treasures that I recommend you check out is ABC Life Literacy and please take a few minutes to look at the Life Literacy pages, so much information packed into colorful little chunks of knowledge. Canada is also very fortunate to have an abundance of literacy and essential skills experts and resources---many free of charge.
Since 1967, this annual celebration has brought attention to people in the world who do not know how to read or write. Despite the progress being made, 1 in 4 children in low-income countries cannot read or write a basic sentence, and 102 million youth lack basic literacy skills, with women representing nearly two thirds of the world's illiterate.
The global celebration will be held on 8 and 9 September 2026 in Chiapas, Mexico, it will include a global hybrid conference, the award ceremony of the UNESCO International Literacy Prizes, and side events, such as the annual meeting of Global Alliance of Literacy within the Framework of Lifelong Learning (GAL) and meetings of the Action Research on Measuring Literacy and Alternative Education (RAMAED), and the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities.
International Literacy Day supports goal 4 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and it can be argued in part supports the remaining 16 SDGs as well – we need to work towards increasing world literacy levels to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Career pathways may include individuals who work as literacy tutors, essential skills coordinators, teachers, and volunteers who mentor individuals and families. Building and maintaining our literacy levels requires lifelong learning – we all can play a role in helping ourselves and others build these foundational skills. You can be the difference! #InternationalLiteracyDay #UNCareerDay #UNCareerandLivelihoodDay
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