It may be hard for us to imagine in Bermuda, but over 759 million adults still lack minimum literacy skills (that is, the ability to read and write), according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) website www.unesco.org/en/literacy. Even worse, 72 million children are out of school, even though the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Article 28 recognises the right of every child to education.

Not being able to read and write means that those children will never be able to have the best paying jobs, and will probably live in poverty all their lives. This is a particular challenge for women. According to Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, "Ten years into the 21st century, two of every three of the world's 759 million illiterate adults are women. This is an intolerable situation, representing one of the most persistent injustices of our time: unequal access to information."

Every year on September 8 the world celebrates the power of the written word on International Literacy Day, which was first observed in 1967.

On International Literacy Day, individuals, organisations and countries throughout the world show their commitment to providing education for all and increasing their efforts to promote literacy. Among those organisations are the International Reading Association, and in Bermuda, the Bermuda Reading Association.

The Bermuda Reading Association has some suggestions for ways in which young Bermudians can celebrate the joy of reading, particularly next Wednesday, World Literacy Day.

Share with your teacher an idea about how students can make the community aware of the importance of literacy.

Share your favourite book with someone else – read a book to a grown-up or to someone younger than you.

Ask your teacher if you can have a show-and-tell of your favourite summer reading – bring your favourite book to class and be prepared to explain why it was so good.

Ask a grown up in your life to tell you about a book they enjoyed when they were young – see if you can find the book in your school library.

Look in the Youth Library or your school library for books of folktales from different countries.

Learn more about schools in other countries. How easy or difficult is it for young people, especially girls, to go to school elsewhere in the world?

Take time to read!