Five ways to celebrate International Literacy Day (September 8) 

Dubai: Since 1967, International Literacy Day (ILD) celebrations have taken place annually around the world to remind the public of the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and human rights, and to advance the literacy agenda towards a more literate and sustainable society. Despite steady progress made across the world, literacy challenges persist with at least 763 million young people and adults lacking basic literacy skills in 2020.

Dubai-based author & creative educator Purva Grover shares how one can celebrate the day with books, notebooks, stories, and more.

“Facts go to our brains, while stories go to our hearts. Many of us grew up listening to bedtime stories. Our parents and grandparents would read out the stories to us and tuck us into bed. However, the tradition of storytelling is slowly vanishing. Let’s revive the best and oldest form of education. It is a great tool to pass down cultures and traditions to future generations,” said Purva, who has authored three books, The Trees Told Me So,  It was the year 2020, and She

Literacy is a blessing often taken for granted. Traditional reading is essential to our lives, even as we live in a digital world. On International Literacy Day, author Purva Grover, who works extensively with the youth and adults when it comes to creative thinking and education, aspires to encourage one and all to pick the habit of reading and writing as a life skill, a hobby, or a de-stressing activity. 

Here’s a list of five ways to celebrate the day, the words.

1. Visit a bookstore

Take time to visit Bookstores, In Dubai there are many homegrown bookstores & marketplaces of pre-loved books, where the prices of books start from as low as AED 1! They offer books in different languages. Many stores have a cozy corner for you to grab a book and read whilst at the store. A few prominent names are here: Booktopia, Bookendsae, Kinokuniya, Magrudy’s & Borders

2. Join a book club

Bookworms can join the book clubs at the school and community levels. Bookclubs always give you exposure to new authors, book references, and events like Meet the Author. Towards the end of the month, readers can book in for A Night of SHE by author Purva Grover. SHE is a literary celebration of all things feminine, and guests will be invited to play a few SHE games as they read the book, SHE.

3. Bring home words as art pieces

Falling short of words? readers can place art pieces, canvas prints, and quotes from renowned books and authors.  

4. Attend a reading session and book fairs

Many social groups keep arranging book-reading sessions across the UAE. A quick search on social media can connect you easily, where you will know that reading a book is not a habit but an art. All the emirates have book fairs on their calendars, readers can check the schedule and explore the beautiful world of knowledge.

5. Join the midnight prompt writing challenge

Penning down the knowledge is not an easy task, each reader would be a writer too if you got the right guidance on different styles of writing. A writing prompt will be shared on author Purva Grover’s Instagram story @purvagr, at midnight from September 8 until September 16, to encourage one and all to get thinking. You don’t have to be an author or a poet to take part. Open to all amateur writers, thinkers, and more. Write a sentence, or paragraph, or go bigger. Entries will be shared on social media. 

To know more: readers can visit https://www.instagram.com/purvagr/ for this exercise, which is starting September 8, at midnight