Today is International Literacy Day. The world celebrates the day under the theme of ‘Literacy in a digital world’. This year’s theme reflects on the need to provide digital literacy skills to people to help them navigate increasingly digitally-oriented societies. The theme also highlights the steps that can be taken to develop and implement literacy policies and programmes that can leverage the opportunities that the digital world provides.

Digital technologies are transforming the way people lead their lives. These technologies have the potential to improve information and knowledge sharing; networking; social interaction; industrial manufacturing, and quality of work. Nevertheless, there are still millions of people who do not have access to digital technologies. Lack of access further jeopardizes their prospects of acquiring knowledge and skills needed to use them. Deprivation inevitably leads to the marginalization of these people in increasingly digitally-powered societies.

However, the digital world is continuously evolving and there is a constant learning curve involved. This leads us to question: What can be done to provide continuous learning in a digitally driven society? In order to plug the digital literacy gap, this year’s International Literacy Day will highlight the challenges and opportunities in promoting literacy in the digital world.

The day provides an occasion to recognize achievements and reflect on how we can tackle the challenges left for the promotion of literacy as an integral part of lifelong learning.