(VNF) - This year, the theme of the International Literacy Day (8 September) is ‘Literacy in a digital world’.

At record speed, digital technologies are fundamentally changing the way people live, work, learn and socialise everywhere.(illustrative photo: khoahoc.tv)

The overall purpose of the theme is to look at what kind of literacy skills people need to navigate increasingly digitally-mediated societies, and to explore effective literacy policies and programmes that can leverage the opportunities that the digital world provides.

At record speed, digital technologies are fundamentally changing the way people live, work, learn and socialise everywhere. They are giving new possibilities to people to improve all areas of their lives including access to information; knowledge management; networking; social services; industrial production, and mode of work.

However, those who lack access to digital technologies and the knowledge, skills and competencies required to navigate them, can end up marginalised in increasingly digitally driven societies. Literacy is one such essential skill.

Just as knowledge, skills and competencies evolve in the digital world, so does what it means to be literate.

In order to close the literacy skills gap and reduce inequalities, this year’s International Literacy Day will highlight the challenges and opportunities in promoting literacy in the digital world, a world where, despite progress, at least 750 million adults and 264 million out-of-school children still lack basic literacy skills.

Nguyen Quang Thach (R) - the Vietnamese man who received the UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize award 2016 (source: Zing)

Today, the 2017 UNESCO International Literacy Prize awards ceremony will also take place at UNESCO headquarter in Paris (France) to recognize and reward excellent literacy practices from around the world in connection with this year’s theme and as a key target in Sustainable Development Goal #4.

Last year, a Vietnamese man received the 2016 UNESCO Kng Sejong Literacy Prize award. He is Nguyen Quang Thach, founder of the Center for Knowledge Assistance and Community Development (CKACD), the center which has conducted the award-winning project “Books for rural areas of Vietnam.”

International Literacy Day has been celebrated annually worldwide since 1965. The occasion brings together governments, multi- and bilateral organizations, NGOs, private sectors, communities, teachers, learners and experts in the field. It is an occasion to mark achievements and reflect on ways to counter remaining challenges for the promotion of literacy as an integral part of lifelong learning within and beyond the 2030 Education Agenda./.

( Phi Yen )