• The International Literacy Day (ILD) is celebrated every year on 8 September to draw attention to improving literacy rates around the world.
• DESTINE project advocates for policies that ensure universal literacy for all

Today, 8th September, the International Literacy Day (ILD) is celebrated to draw attention to improvements in world literacy rates. Since 1967, after UNESCO’s General Conference Declaration, ILD celebrations have taken place annually around the world to remind people of the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and human rights, and to advance the literacy agenda towards a more literate and sustainable society.

DESTINE project and its partners advocate of policies to ensure universal literacy, in order to foster inclusion for all. The initiative promotes online teaching and distance learning as a path to adapt traditional classrooms to the e-ecosystem, which at the same time allows for more flexible and more accessible teaching.

Despite steady progress made across the world, literacy challenges persist with at least 763 million young people and adults lacking basic literacy skills in 2020, according to UNESCO. The recent COVID-19 crisis and other crisis, such as climate change and conflicts, have been exacerbating the challenges. It is no longer just a matter of being literate, but also of understanding, evaluating and using technology effectively and with ethical reasoning. According to UNESCO, digital literacy is not just about understanding technological tools, but empowering people to use them effectively and ethically in the pursuit of knowledge and global collaboration.

UNESCO will celebrate ILD under the theme of “Promoting literacy for a world in transition: Building the foundation for sustainable and peaceful societies”. Building on the momentum, knowledge, and insights generated through the recent work, ILD2023 sheds light on the centrality and transformative power of literacy for shaping a future world with a greater degree of social, economic, and environmental justice and peace.

ILD2023 will be an opportunity to join efforts to accelerate progress towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4), to promote a quality education. In promoting inclusive and equitable education, education institutions and education marketing work hand in hand to empower people with digital tools.

Within the framework of the SDGs of the 2030 Agenda, this new literacy has a key role to play as its implementation carries out social, environmental and economic benefits. The digitalisation of education helps to overcome geographical boundaries, democratising access to education.

Enhancing literacy is another way to build more inclusive, peaceful, just, and sustainable societies, and creates synergies between literacy and other areas of development. Literacy is central to the creation of such societies, while progress in other areas of development contributes to generate people’s interest and motivation to acquire, use and further develop their literacy and numeracy skills.

About ERASMUS +

Erasmus+ 2021-2027 is the European Union’s renewed programme in the fields of education and training, youth and sport, offering opportunities for all people and in all education sectors (School Education, Professional Training, Higher Education and Adult Education). This new Erasmus+ is more international, more inclusive, more digital and greener, supporting digital transformation, inclusion and diversity, as well as the environment and the fight against climate change. With a budget of more than €28 billion, it will fund learning-related mobility and cross-border cooperation projects for 10 million people of all ages and from all backgrounds. “This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.”

About DESTINE

The Erasmus + DESTINE (DivErSity and Tolerance IN E-Environment) project was born with the aim of promoting online professional training that ensures support for diversity, inclusion and tolerance, providing the necessary tools for all professionals and students to adapt to the e-learning methodology. DESTINE focuses especially on those vocational training students who need a learning environment adapted to their needs.