On International Literacy Day, Pope Francis sent a letter to UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, inviting the world to abandon words and deeds of revenge in an era ravaged by conflict. The Pope also pointed out three major challenges in literacy work: peace, the digital world, and the overall ecology.
(Vatican News Network) September 8 is the “International Literacy Day” initiated by UNESCO. Pope Francis sent a letter to Audrey Azoulay, Director General of the organization, pointing out the challenges of literacy work. In 3 areas: peace, digital world, and overall ecology. The Pope’s letter was signed by Cardinal Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See.
In his letter, the Pope first praised the theme chosen for this year’s International Literacy Day: “Promoting literacy in a transforming world: laying the foundations for a sustainable and peaceful society” because this theme also takes into account the role of education in the harmonious integration of individuals into “social groups, the role of active and practical participation in social progress”. The pope stressed that estimates of the number of people who lack basic literacy skills “remain disturbing” and that this is “an obstacle to realizing their full potential.”
“In a world ravaged by conflict and tension, it is extremely important not to take for granted the vocabulary of war and discord.” The Pope emphasizes this while insisting on the importance of “mastering the vocabulary of peace” because “it shows the value of restoring dialogue, courtesy and respect for others”. On this topic, the Pope quoted from the encyclical Fratelli Fratelli, stating that this kind of effort “can radically change the way we live our lives, our social relations, and the way we discuss and compare different points of view.” (No. 224)
Therefore, the Pope calls for investing more resources and energy in the fields of education, communication, science and culture, because this is the only legitimate and effective “weapon” to build a hopeful future.
The Pope also mentioned that there are still millions of people who lack information and communication technology, and many people are still harmed by division and hatred on the so-called “digital highway”. Furthermore, there is a great danger in surrendering human life to the logic of a machine that determines its value. Therefore, to prevent a technology that is mismanaged, uncontrolled, and even harmful to people, policies and laws are needed that help people acquire digital capabilities without neglecting a broad ethical reflection on the use of algorithms.
The last challenge regarding literacy is the Pope’s desire that literacy should play a role in promoting attention to the holistic ecology. The Pope invites UNESCO to “patiently and firmly promote the mastery of a more indifferent and caring attitude, which not only has a direct impact on care for neighbor and creation, but also, in the long term, inspires truly sustainable policies and economies that improve the quality of life and benefit people around the world, especially those who are most disadvantaged and most at risk.”
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2023-09-09 10:03:27
