Schools here have been urged to mark International Literacy Day with lectures, seminars and other programs to highlight the economic importance of an educated populace.
Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Marshad, acting director general of education in Riyadh, had earlier asked all government and private schools to start celebrations for a period covering two weeks, starting on Sept. 8, the date on which the day is marked globally.
In a memo circulated to all education departments in Riyadh, he urged those who cannot read or write to join literacy programs set up by the government. He also asked the local community, institutions and individuals to participate in such events.
He had asked schools to use their radio programs, newspapers, posters and banners to focus on the importance of literacy initiatives.
Schools have also been urged to organize lectures and seminars on the importance of science and knowledge based on the teachings of Islam, and highlight the efforts on literacy by the government of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah. To encourage others, the programs should also honor those who had completed literacy classes.
The events primarily encourage illiterate men and women in each district to join literacy programs.
According to the website of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the theme of International Literacy Day celebrations, is “Literacy and Sustainable Development.”
"Literacy is one of the key elements needed to promote sustainable development, as it empowers people so that they can make the right decisions in the areas of economic growth, social development and environmental integration. Literacy is a basis for lifelong learning and plays a crucial foundational role in the creation of sustainable, prosperous and peaceful societies," UNESCO said on its website.
"Literacy skills developed from a basic to advanced level throughout life are part of broader competencies required for critical thinking, the sense of responsibility, participatory governance, sustainable consumption and lifestyles, ecological behaviors, biodiversity protection, poverty reduction, and disaster risk reduction."
One of the main UNESCO events this year took place in Dhaka, where the government of Bangladesh organized the international conference on girls’ and women’s literacy and education.
Schools to mark Literacy Day
Schools to mark Literacy Day
Saudi Post issues commemorative stamp to mark Al-Faw’s UNESCO recognition
RIYADH: Saudi Post has issued a SR3 ($0.79) commemorative stamp to celebrate the registration of Al-Faw Archaeological Area on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, making it the eighth Saudi site on this prestigious list.
Located south of Riyadh at the junction of a vast plain and the Tuwaiq mountain range, Al-Faw is strategically positioned along ancient trade routes connecting the southern Arabian Peninsula to its center and east.
The area in Wadi Ad-Dawasir, at the intersection of the Empty Quarter desert and the Tuwaiq mountain range, is home to almost 12,000 archaeological remains and has a history of human habitation stretching back more than 6,000 years.
The site features a landscape shaped over millennia by human interaction with the environment and which was abandoned in the 5th century AD owing to depleted water sources.
The commemorative stamps issued honor significant national and international events, highlighting key chapters of Saudi history making them collectible for philatelists, researchers, and heritage enthusiasts, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
UNESCO, while recognizing the site last year, has said the site was a strategic point on the ancient trade routes of the Arabian Peninsula, but was abruptly abandoned around the fifth century.
Archaeological remains uncovered at the site range from prehistoric times to the late pre-Islamic era, testifying to successive occupations by three different populations.
Features include paleolithic and neolithic tools, tapered structures, cairns and circular constructions, the sacred mountain of Khashm Qaryah, rock carvings, funeral cairns, an ancient water management system, and remains of the city of Qaryat Al-Faw.
Other Saudi sites on the UNESCO Heritage List are Al-Hijr (2008), At-Turaif in Diriyah (2010), Historic Jeddah (2014), rock art in the Hail Region (2015), Al-Ahsa Oasis (2018), Hima Cultural Area (2021), and Uruq Bani Maarid protected area (2023).
