Summer 2015 Newsletter Page 10

International Literacy Day – September 8th, 2015

Officially proclaimed by UNESCO nearly 50 years ago, International Literacy Day takes place annually on
September 8th. This day is a great opportunity to take time to celebrate literacy in our communities, but also a day to draw attention to the need for basic literacy skills worldwide. Literacy is recognized as a human right by the United Nations and while there have been great strides in the past decades, there is still much to be done. Across the globe, 1 in 5 people cannot read or write; low literacy levels are related to increased unemployment, crime, poverty, and long-term illness.

In Canada, 51.5% of the adult population has level 3 literacy skills, which are considered adequate for dealing with everyday life in advanced society. However, NB is one of the lowest ranked provinces with less than half (46.5%) of the population meeting this standard. With modern advances in communication and technology, literacy skills are absolutely crucial for active participation in society; increasing these skills across the country continues to be
incredibly important.

On September 8th, 2015 be sure to take time to learn about and celebrate literacy! For more information on
International Literacy Day and ideas for how to celebrate, check out InternationalLiteracyDay.org. If you want to find out more on literacy issues and programs in New Brunswick, check out the Literacy Coalition of New Brunswick’s website nbliteracy.ca.

The Literacy Coalition of New Brunswick provides leadership to advance literacy, lifelong learning and essential skills for all citizens through partnerships and collaboration with government, educational institutions, business, labour, community organizations and individuals.

Become a member of LDANB:

LDANB is a bilingual, registered charitable organization that has been in operation for over 45 years with a
volunteer Board of Directors. Its mission is to promote the understanding of learning disabilities and the
recognition of the potential of persons with learning disabilities to lead full, meaningful and successful lives. The LDANB head office is located in Fredericton (506) 459-7852 with active chapters in Moncton: (506) 383-5077 and Saint-John: (506)642-4956.

Membership to LDANB Inc. ($25) is open to all who are interested in the welfare of children, youth and adults with learning disabilities.

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