Literacy Week begins today with encouragement to change the world

Literacy opens many doors in life, which is why it is being celebrated and encouraged this week. 

With this week being declared Literacy Week in Swift Current, people are being encouraged to approach literacy with renewed interest. International Literacy Day is September 8, pushing literacy around the world. 

Bula Ghosh, a literacy advocate in Swift Current and member of the Southwest Literacy Committee, presented the matter before Swift Current city council. Her passion for literacy has stretched for decades, helping to grow hundreds if not thousands of people's comprehension. 

​Bula Ghosh addressing Swift Current city council.

"I'm back here again to talk about literacy," said Ghosh. "It's endless, and we can never stop talking about it. It is the foundation that lays for the well-being of the community, people, and country."

Indeed, as literacy increases, so too do the opportunities presented to a population. Education becomes vastly more accessible, and skills become easier to acquire. Ghosh cited literacy as being responsible for a permanent 1.5 per cent increase in a country's economic goals, equal to $1.8 billion. 

"The importance of literacy is a matter of dignity and human rights," said Ghosh. "To advance the literacy agenda to a more literate and sustainable society."

Ghosh insisted that this is not just a young person's concern. Literacy is important for all ages, with adults being able to reap perhaps the greatest benefits. Literacy opens up education, which enables greater vocational flexibility, and pushes the market in a more competitive and growth-oriented direction.

"On International Literacy Day, I hope we can change the world," said Ghosh. "I encourage you to join in this awareness campaign and celebration to do something on September 8. Be mindful that it's not only September 8 but do it all the days of your life. At least on September 8, take a moment and think what can I do today to promote literacy." 

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