On what date is UNESCO’s International Literacy Day observed each year?

UNESCO’s International Literacy Day is observed each year on 8 September.

The observance highlights the importance of literacy for individuals, communities, and societies. It connects closely with the back-to-school season because reading and writing are central goals of formal education worldwide.

UNESCO declared the day on 26 October 1966 during the organization’s 14th General Conference. It was celebrated for the first time in 1967.

International Literacy Day is sometimes confused with World Book Day, whose date varies by country, or International Mother Language Day, held on 21 February. Literacy Day has a fixed annual date: 8 September.