Honoring International Literacy Day
Over 50 years ago, UNESCO officially proclaimed Sept. 8 as International Literacy Day to actively mobilize the international community and to promote literacy as an instrument to empower individuals, communities and societies.
Celebrated worldwide, International Literacy Day seeks to increase literacy and numeracy among youth and adults. This is an essential step toward the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Sustainable Development Goal 4 aims to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.”
Equitable quality education is education that allows each person to thrive. The Center for Global Education states that, “equity in education means that personal or social circumstances such as gender, ethnic origin or family background, are not obstacles to achieving educational potential (definition of fairness) and that all individuals reach at least a basic minimum level of skills (definition of inclusion).”
Our Christian faith teaches that each of us is made in the image of God, and thus requires us to embrace these tenets of education.
Our ancestors advocated for education for all children. We need to follow the tradition they set and ensure the promotion of learning that honors and celebrates the dignity and worth of each learner.
Books can open up a world of possibilities for our children, and teach all of us to celebrate the divine in everyone. Unfortunately, the books that are published around the world disproportionately exclude people of color and girls as leaders — adding rather than removing obstacles for children to see the diving within themselves.
How do the books on your shelves at home or the church nursery depict the beauty and diversity of your community? Of God’s creation? Books that reflect God’s beautiful and abundant creation are often difficult to find.
For this reason, Church and Society has created a searchable database that you can find here to ensure that every learner in your midst sees themselves as wonderfully and beautifully made.
Visit our Sacred Worth Book database. Make sure your family, church, school, and community libraries are well-stocked with books that reflect the gift of diversity that God has given us.
