One in six Dutch citizens has difficulty with reading, writing and/or arithmetic. That makes it difficult for these people to, for example, use a machine to buy a train ticket, read to their children or understand written safety precautions. Celebrate International Literacy Day by joining one of the existing events or organise your own event in the second week of September.
Every year around September 8th (International Literacy Day), the Reading & Writing Foundation organises Literacy Week (in Dutch: Week van de Alfabetisering). During this week, the foundation encourages organisations and individuals to organise events that draw attention to the importance of literacy.
For more information, please visit weekvandealfabetisering.nl. The website is in Dutch, but it gives a nice overview of all events that are being organised and offers inspiration if you would like to organise your own event.
In 2014, no less than 3395 activities were organised throughout the Netherlands, and media attention reached hundreds of thousands of Dutch citizens. During the Literacy Week, the National Literacy Awards are handed out to individuals or organisations that had contributed significantly to a more literate society
In 2015, it was time for the 11th Dutch Literacy Week. It was the biggest yet, with over 5000 activities throughout the Netherlands. During the Literacy Week, the National Literacy Awards were handed out to individuals or organisations that had contributed significantly to a more literate society.