On International Literacy Day, September 8, 2026, join us for an open house at our new programming location, 222nd 5th St. in Prince Rupert, BC from 3pm-9pm.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is celebrating 60 years of championing literacy and this year’s theme is “Literacy for people, the planet and prosperity," International Literacy Day 2026 provides an opportunity to take stock of progress, deepen understanding of persistent and emerging challenges, and shape future literacy agendas in a rapidly changing world.  
 

Literacy is a fundamental human right for all. It opens the door to the enjoyment of other human rights, greater freedoms, and global citizenship. Literacy is a foundation for people to acquire broader knowledge, skills, values, attitudes, and behaviours to foster a culture of lasting peace based on respect for equality and non-discrimination, the rule of law, solidarity, justice, diversity, and tolerance and to build harmonious relations with oneself, other people and the planet. Despite progress, at least 739 million youth and adults worldwide still lack basic literacy skills in 2024. At the same time, 4 in 10 children are not reaching minimum proficiency in reading, and 272 million children and adolescents were out of school in 2023.

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More than 700,000 people in British Columbia struggle with literacy challenges. BC’s provincial literacy organization, Decoda Literacy Solutions, and Change Makers' Education Society are encouraging everyone to #PutOnYourPurple in support of literacy programs in BC. These programs help increase the literacy and learning skills of children and families, youth, adults and seniors to improve their quality of life at home, at work and in the community.  

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