Agenda Programme of the International Literacy Day 2025 at UNESCO HQ.

Promoting literacy in the digital era

The global celebration of International Literacy Day (ILD) 2025, organized by UNESCO under the theme ‘Promoting Literacy in the Digital Era’, will take place on 8 September 2025 at its Headquarters in Paris, France. The in-person event will also be livestreamed to a global audience. The celebration will include the award ceremony of the UNESCO International Literacy Prizes. Interpretation will be available in English, French and Spanish. The main objectives of the global conference are:

• To reflect on both the potential and risks of digitalization for literacy.
• To explore how lifelong learning ecosystems can be enhanced to promote literacy in the digital era.
• To identify effective digitally empowered literacy programmes and practices.
• To reflect on the futures of literacy in a world where digitalization is increasingly transforming our life, work and learning.
• To celebrate the achievements of the six laureates of the 2025 UNESCO International Literacy Prizes.

Participants In-person participation in the global event is by invitation. Participants will include representatives of governments and partners in charge of education and digitalization, staff and experts from ministries, multilateral organizations, civil society organizations, NGOs, the private sector and foundations, learners and educators, research institutions and universities. 


AGENDA PROGRAMME

Registration & informal discussions and Opening session 

Master of Ceremony: 

  • Mr Marco Horanieh, Presenter and actor, France
  • Ms Farida Shaheed, UN Special rapporteur on the right to education 

Keynote speech Introduction:

  • Mr Borhene Chakroun, Director, Division of Policies and Lifelong Learning Systems, Education Sector, UNESCO 
  • Ms Kate Arthur, British-Canadian entrepreneur


High-level panel – Literacy in the digital era.

This session intends to explore the potential of digital technologies to improve the way in which literacy is promoted at the system, programme and practice levels. It also aims to reflect on the challenges and potential risks posed by rapidly evolving digital landscapes, which must be addressed to ensure that everyone can achieve relevant and functional literacy skills as a right and a foundation for inclusive, just and sustainable societies. 

Session 1: Enhancing lifelong learning ecosystems.

A lifelong learning ecosystem encompasses systems, institutions, structures, policies, frameworks, and governance. Creating an enabling ecosystem is essential for promoting literacy as a lifelong pursuit across both physical and virtual spaces, and within formal, non-formal and informal learning settings, such as schools, training institutions, online courses, workplaces, community learning centres and home. This session will explore ways to strengthen lifelong learning ecosystems, with attention to human rights principles, democratic values, digital inclusion, privacy, and diversity in cultures, languages and knowledge systems

Session 2: Promoting effective literacy programmes and practices in the digital era.

Digitalization is transforming literacy programmes and practices broadly in two aspects: responding to evolving skill demands – particularly the need for higher levels of literacy skills as a basis for lifelong learning, alongside digital skills, which are increasingly integral to literacy itself; and leveraging digital technologies to improve design, content, management and monitoring of literacy programmes. This session will explore the key factors that can make literacy programmes in the digital era more inclusive, effective and sustainable

Session 3: Envisioning the futures of literacy in the digital era and ways forward.

This session aims to reflect on the futures of literacy in a world where digital technologies are increasingly permeating many spheres of life, transforming how we learn, live, work, interact and socialize, while also impacting the well-being of our planet. What kind of global literacy landscapes do we aspire to shape by 2050? What should be continued, discontinued or transformed in the way we design and manage literacy policies, programmes and practices? 










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