OUTLOOK: In the Information Age, why are so many illiterate?

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International Literacy Day

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Friday September 8 is International Literacy Day. As UNESCO puts it, "September 8 is an occasion to give hope to the millions of women, men and children who cannot read or write even their own names. International Literacy Day is a timely reminder to the world about the importance of literacy for individuals, families, communities and whole societies."

In one sense, the entire Internet is a powerful tool for literacy. In this editor's personal  experience in a poor African country, cybercafes were the only literacy resource. Public libraries are scarce in developing countries. But the Internet is everywhere.

NowPublic is dedicated to making sure as many people have the resources to access information technology, to write their own accounts of what matters in their lives. Our tools make it easy for everyone with access to a networked computer to have a voice on the global stage.

If you have stories about the importance of literacy and access to information technology, we'd like to hear from you!

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