Each year on 8 September, groups around the world gather together to celebrate “International Literacy Day”, which is meant to highlight the importance of reading, and of being able to read. In the words of UNESCO, the UN organization which sponsors International Literacy Day, “Literacy is one of the key elements needed to promote sustainable development, as it empowers people so that they can make the right decisions in the areas of economic growth, social development and environmental integration.” As contentious as issues around education around the world can be at times, there is little debate about the fundamental importance of literacy to most human endeavors.
