Children at Unley Primary were thrilled to be involved in International Literacy Day celebrations today, Tuesday 8 September.

UPS is proud to have a special connection with the Australian Literacy Educators’ Association in SA (ALEA). ALEA is a professional network of educators who champion literacy in schools and the wider community. Our Assistant Principal, Amy Reid, serves on the ALEA SA local council and – as her names suggests – is passionate about reading and getting kids and adults involved in literacy projects.

To celebrate International Literacy Day, ALEA SA kindly donated some books for us to place in special locations in our neighbourhood as a gift for a curious passer-by. Several of the books were purchased from Magabala Books, a publishing house owned and led by Aboriginal Australians. This is one way ALEA SA helps celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices.

Through sharing photos of the books via social media hashtags, we hope to remind everyone of the importance of literacy and reading.

The United Nations tell us that literacy education is a matter of dignity and human rights. While there has been global progress in advancing the literacy agenda, challenges persist with at least 773 million adults worldwide lacking basic literacy skills today.

Every time we read a good book, we are not only developing our own literacy skills, but also broadening our understanding of the world. This can help us develop empathy for others, which has a positive impact in the community. Reading books written and illustrated by Indigenous Australians is another important way that we can make an investment in the cultural and creative futures of Indigenous people.

If you want to make a difference when it comes to literacy, the answer is simple – read, and recommend your favourite tales to someone else!