Celebrate Literacy and Foundational Learning with USAID
International Literacy Day: 2023
USAID Education Celebrates Literacy
USAID supports literacy around the world all year long to ensure that all people – especially the most marginalized – have access to quality education in order to gain the foundational literacy skills they need to reach their fullest potential and be productive members of society.
Each year on September 8, alongside the global community, we celebrate International Literacy Day. The theme for 2023 is, “Promoting literacy for a world in transition: Building the foundation for sustainable and peaceful societies.” It aligns with USAID’s commitment to building foundational education globally so as to foster a stronger, more sustainable world.
As part of celebrations worldwide, USAID’s Center for Education is highlighting activities throughout September. We will reflect on progress made since the 2022 Transforming Education Summit on the global Commitment to Action on Foundational Learning, and on how we can mobilize global action to transform education for all. Together, with our partners, we will convene conversations, share stories of what is working and what still needs to be done. And, we will highlight champions of reading with a few other surprise messages along the way.
Here’s how you can join USAID to celebrate International Literacy Day and help promote literacy for a world in transition.
Get Involved | Learn | Explore Resources
Get Involved and Help Advance Foundational Learning
Check our Events calendar for an updated list of all events related to International Literacy Day including the following:
- All Children Reading Grand Challenge EdTech solutions showcase
- UNESCO International Literacy Day Global Event
- FHI 360 and Save the Children’s webinar, A Holistic Approach to Reading: How community engagement, social and behavior change and remediation approaches have improved reading
- Join the Data and Evidence in Education Project (DEEP) team for a webinar to learn about how the Reading Matters Framework informs remedial education programming in a crisis context
- Global Reading Network and Impact Network’s webinar, Unlocking Literacy for Early Learners in their Local Language
- Join this event hosted by the Education Office at the USAID Rwanda Mission, with support from the USAID Center for Education, to learn about ten years of early literacy achievements in Rwanda
Help Us Spread the Word
- Follow us on Twitter and Facebook and engage with the hashtag #USAIDLiteracy
- Use the following sample social media posts to share with your networks
- When students have access to literacy and foundational learning, their world grows. Join @USAID in celebrating #LiteracyDay through the month of September.
- As @USAID honors literacy this month, check out an important #EduLinks resource with insights into lessons learned from a decade of early-grade reading programs. #USAIDLiteracy
- Literacy improves people’s health and well-being and opens up employment opportunities. It’s always the right time to build literacy. Join @USAID in supporting International #LiteracyDay.
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Learn about Our Efforts to Advance Foundational Learning
- Progress made and challenges that remain in USAID’s efforts to contribute to the goal that ALL children can read.
- How the All Children Reading: A Grand Challenge for Development catalyzed global action to advance educational technology (EdTech) research and solutions, ultimately improving reading outcomes for more than 1.2 children over 12 years.
- How the Global Book Alliance ensures children have access to quality reading materials in languages they use and understand.
- USAID Philippines partnered with Conrado and Ladislawa Alcantara Foundation INC to improve literacy rates among young Blann learners from Philippines’ Mindanao region and help preserve culture by transcribing Flalok- a sacred way of storytelling that is narrated or sung by tribal elders- into books for children.
- María Perez, an award-winning Dominican author and teacher, authored three new books to raise awareness about environmental issues in three provinces in the Dominican Republic. She received support from USAID and the U.S. Forest Service.
- Learn about the Commitment to Action on Foundational Learning
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Explore Resources That Will Help You Advance Foundational Learning
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Learn more about how USAID celebrated International Literacy Day in previous years