09/09/2026
INTERNATIONAL LITERACY DAY 2026
Literacy for people, the planet and prosperity.
What does literacy really mean?
Is it simply the ability to read a sentence, spell a word or write your name?
Or is literacy also about understanding the world around us, asking questions, making informed choices and knowing that our actions have consequences?
This year’s International Literacy Day theme, “Literacy for people, the planet and prosperity,” has given us at Kids Resource Centre an opportunity to reflect on the kind of literacy we want to nurture. UNESCO’s 2026 theme connects literacy with inclusion, sustainable futures and opportunities for people to thrive.
At KRC, we believe a child who can read should also be able to read the world around them.
To notice when something is wrong.
To understand why it matters.
To think critically.
To care about others.
To make responsible choices.
And, importantly, to realise that they are not too young to make a difference.
This is why our work goes beyond books and reading sessions.
Sometimes, learning looks like sitting with a book and discovering a new world.
Sometimes, it looks like children discussing an idea, asking questions or expressing themselves.
And sometimes, it means stepping outside the classroom and taking part in a community clean-up because they have learnt that the environment belongs to all of us, and caring for it is our collective responsibility.
These experiences may look different, but they are all part of the same goal:
raising children who don’t just acquire knowledge, but know what to do with it.
As we mark 60 years of International Literacy Day, we are reminded that literacy remains a powerful foundation for people, communities and sustainable development.
At Kids Resource Centre, we will continue to ask ourselves:
Are we only teaching children to read, or are we helping them understand the world they are reading about?
Because ultimately, we want our children to read, think, care, participate and lead.
That, to us, is literacy.
Literacy for people.
Literacy for the planet.
Literacy for prosperity.
Kids Resource Centre
Building confident readers. Inspiring lifelong learners.
