National Adult Literacy Database

Essential Skills Day shines an important spotlight on the nine essential skills as defined by the Government of Canada, and will convene employers, governments, unions and the literacy field in various initiatives to celebrate the importance of workplace essential skills. ABC Life Literacy Canada established Essential Skills Day on September 23 in 2010.

In order to applaud accomplishments and raise awareness, many different organizations throughout the country have activities planned around January 27th.

Freedom to read can never be taken for granted. This week encourages Canadians to think about and reaffirm their commitment to intellectual freedom, which is guaranteed under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

IALW founders understood that the most effective way to underscore the importance of lifelong learning was to give adult learners the chance to express their views, describe their challenges, and document their success stories. The Canadian Commission for UNESCO has been celebrating IALW in Canada since 2002.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) celebrates ILD on September 8 every year. It calls attention to the need to eradicate illiteracy, one of UNESCO's primary concerns.

The Canadian Society for Training and Development (CSTD) established a weeklong celebration that includes a number of activities and events designed to promote the importance of workplace learning and performance to key stakeholders and the public-at-large.

National Volunteer Week is a special time set aside in April to honour the people who donate their time and energy to their fellow citizens. It is also meant to raise awareness of the vital contribution volunteers make to our communities and to the identity and values of our country.

In the spirit and tradition of the PGIs' founder, Peter Gzowski, the PGI committees coordinate golf tournaments to raise funds to teach people to read and write and inspire Canadians to celebrate literacy.

Mark the last Sunday in September on your calendar for the biggest outdoor book bash in the country. It highlights the pleasures of reading through the excitement of great writing, and provides a free literary theme park where the printed word comes to life.

By celebrating this Day throughout the world, UNESCO seeks to promote reading, publishing and the protection of intellectual property through copyright.