Celebrations in 2025
This year, International Literacy Day (ILD) will be celebrated under the theme of “Promoting literacy in the digital era.”
Digitalisation has been changing ways in which we learn, live, work and socialise, in both positive and negative ways, depending on how we engage with it. While digital tools can help expand learning opportunities for marginalised groups, including 739 million young people and adults who lack basic literacy skills, this digital shift also risks creating double marginalisation – exclusion not only from traditional literacy learning but also from the benefits of the digital age. Digitalisation also raises other concerns, including privacy issues, privacy, digital surveillance, reinforced biases, ethics, the risk of passive consumption, and environmental impacts.
Literacy is a key for making these transformations inclusive, relevant and meaningful. Beyond reading and writing on paper, literacy in the digital era enables people to access, understand, evaluate, create, communicate and engage with digital content safely and appropriately. Literacy is also central for fostering critical thinking, discerning credible information and navigating complex information environments. Unesco
Overview
- Grade Level / Audience: Suitable for secondary school students, pre-service teachers, or adult education classes.
- Goal: To deepen understanding of literacy’s evolving dimensions in a digital world, fostering critical awareness, meaningful engagement, and actionable strategies.
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will:
- Explain the significance of International Literacy Day and its evolving themes.
- Analyze the implications of digitalization for equitable access to literacy.
- Develop and propose digital-era literacy interventions or initiatives.
- Critically evaluate challenges such as digital exclusion, privacy, and misinformation.
Lesson Structure
1. Introduction & Contextual Framing
-
Activity: Begin with a whole-group brainstorming: “What is literacy beyond reading and writing?” Note emerging ideas.
-
Present Key Facts:
- International Literacy Day has been observed annually on 8 September since 1967, established by UNESCO in 1966 (UNESCO – International Literacy Day).
- The 2025 theme is “Promoting literacy in the digital era,” emphasizing the need to enable people to access, understand, evaluate, create, and engage with digital content safely and responsibly (UNESCO 2025 Theme Overview).
-
Discussion Prompt: What does digital literacy mean for us today as educators and learners?
2. Exploration: Digital Era Challenges & Opportunities
-
In Groups, participants explore and discuss:
- How digital tools can broaden learning opportunities, especially for marginalized communities, and conversely, how they may exacerbate exclusion (“double marginalization”).
- Other key concerns: digital surveillance, reinforced biases, ethical implications, and environmental impacts of digital education
-
Share-Out: Groups summarize insights; facilitator lists key themes visible to all learners.
3. Case Study Analysis & Application
-
Provide Examples:
- UNESCO’s International Literacy Prizes, which highlight innovative projects in digital and community literacy
- A literacy fundraiser (“Books Beyond Borders”) aimed at bringing reading materials and digital education tools to children in crisis contexts
-
Task: In groups, design a mini-project or intervention that promotes literacy in a digital context—this could be local (e.g., community digital storytelling workshops), global (e.g., digital resource-sharing networks), or policy-level (e.g., advocating for equitable internet access).
4. Presentation & Peer Feedback
-
Each group presents its proposed project.
Peers and facilitators provide constructive feedback guided by questions such as:
- Does this project address digital equity?
- How does it build genuine digital literacy?
- What are potential risks or limitations?
5. Reflective Closing
-
Prompt: “How has our understanding of literacy shifted in the digital era? What will you take into your own work or classroom?”
Gather reflections as a gallery walk, shared document, or exit tickets.
-
Optional Takeaway: Encourage learners to explore or nominate literacy projects for the UNESCO Literacy Prizes.
Resources
-
UNESCO – International Literacy Day official page and theme overview for 2025
-
World Literacy Foundation – Global literacy initiatives and 2025 World Literacy Summit
-
Save the Children – Literacy Boost initiative and literacy programs
-
Brookings Institution – Reports and articles on the global learning crisis and education reform
-
Additional background on International Literacy Day history and its significance
-
UNESCO International Literacy Day 2025 Concept Note (PDF)