Literacy awareness

Literacy awareness—Celebrations

Through out the year, Literacy Alberta promotes and celebrates literacy by supporting and participating in a variety of special events around the province.

International Literacy Day, September 8th

Each year, UNESCO reminds the international community of the status of literacy and adult learning globally.

Despite many and varied efforts, literacy remains an elusive target: worldwide, some 776 million adults lack minimum literacy skills which means that one in five adults is still not literate; 75 million children are out-of-school and many more attend irregularly or drop out (UNESCO).

Literacy Alberta works with partners to celebrate this day and to celebrate the efforts of everyone working in literacy across the province.

Family Literacy Day, January 27th

ABC Life Literacy Canada (formerly ABC CANADA Literacy Foundation) and Honda Canada created the first Family Literacy Day in 1999 to encourage families to read and learn together. Thousands of Canadians take part in Family Literacy Day events and activities at schools, libraries and literacy organizations.

In Alberta, many organization members of Literacy Alberta celebrate Family Literacy Day.

For more information about Family Literacy Day events, please call our Literacy Helpline at
1-800-767-3231.

International Adult Learners Week (IALW)

During the first week of March, the literacy community celebrates the hard work and success of adult learners across the world. It takes courage and dedication to go back to school, as an adult and to work towards a learning goal. The hard work is worth celebrating. Each year Literacy Alberta partners with literacy agencies in Calgary and Edmonton to plan and host events that make learning fun. The events also raise awareness of the efforts of adult learners in Alberta.