World Braille Day ― Date, History, and Details
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Let's dive deeper into learning more about the history of World Braille Day and why people celebrate or observe it.
History of World Braille Day and How to Celebrate/ Observe It
In 1809, Louis Braille was born in Coupvray, France. He was a bright student and loved learning, but at the age of three he lost his sight in an accident. When he was five, he was sent to the Royal Institute for Blind Youth in Paris, where he learned how to read and write using a system of raised dots called “night writing.”
Braille developed his own version of night writing, which he eventually refined into the Braille code that is used today. This system of raised dots allows blind people to read and write by touch.
World Braille Day is celebrated on January 4th, the anniversary of Louis Braille’s birth. It is a day to promote the use of Braille and to raise awareness of the importance of literacy for blind people.
There are an estimated 60 million blind people in the world, and the vast majority of them cannot read or write. In many countries, Braille is not taught in schools for the blind, and as a result, most blind people are illiterate.
Illiteracy has a profound impact on the lives of blind people. It limits their access to information and knowledge, and it prevents them from participating fully in society. World Braille Day is an opportunity to change this by promoting the use of Braille and raising awareness of its importance.