2019 Int’l Literacy Day to encourage multilingualism

01 / 09 / 2019

By Marwa Nassar - -

The world will mark on September 9 the 2019 International Literacy Day (ILD) under the theme of “Literacy and Multilingualism” to underline the fundamental importance of the language and its diversity for individuals and society.

This year’s International Literacy Day will be celebrated worldwide to promote literacy as part of the right to education, as well as a foundation for individuals’ empowerment and inclusive and sustainable development.

Despite progress made, literacy challenges still persist, distributed unevenly across countries and populations. Embracing linguistic diversity in education and literacy development is central to addressing these challenges in today’s world, in which multilingualism has become increasingly common with higher human mobility.

Multilingualism contributes to the development of inclusive societies that allow multiple cultures, worldviews and knowledge systems to coexist and cross fertilize. It is also characteristics of many marginalized and at risk populations, including migrants, refugees and other people on the move.

The ILD 2019 is an opportunity to rethink literacy in multilingual contexts by exploring current trends and issues of ‘literacy and multilingualism’ from holistic and interdisciplinary perspectives.

On 9 September, UNESCO will hold a conference on the International Literacy Day with an aim to have a better grasp of global landscapes of ‘literacy and multilingualism’ in today’s world and generate ideas to build on previous efforts to promote literacy in multilingual contexts; examine main characteristics of ‘literacy and multilingualism’ in today’s globalized, digitalized world for improved policies and practice; identify main factors that make policies and programs to promote literacy and multilingualism more inclusive and effective; and explore elements of conducive environments, conditions, and partnerships that can help expanding mother language-based, multilingual approaches to literacy.