World Braille Day is on Wednesday, January 4, 2024. The UN’s General Assembly declared the day in November 2018. The day aims to highlight the contribution of braille and promote the value of braille language as a communication tool for blind people.
2024 Theme of the Day
This year’s theme is yet to be announced, but the main idea of the day is “To raise people awareness to understand the worth, contribution and role of the braille to the fulfillment of human rights for the blind or partly sighted persons.” The idea aims to highlight that braille is still significant and used for interpreting books and making life easier for visually impaired people even 200 years later.
History of the Day
The date of the event marks Louis Braille’s birthday. It commemorates his invention of the braille system. In 2009 celebration of the 200th birth ceremony of Louis Braille (creator of braille) by the World Blind Union evolved World Braille Day. Later on, The United Nations General Assembly in November 2018 declared January 4 for this day . There was an international holiday on the first observance of the day.
Why do We Celebrate the Day?
We celebrate the day to raise awareness of the issues affecting visually impaired people and appreciate the invention of braille, which has transformed the lives of blind people. We can take this day as an opportunity to promote equal opportunities and support those who are blind, to make the world a fair place to live with equal human rights.
How to Observe the Day?
Increase your knowledge and spread awareness
Before teaching someone, educate yourself first. So, read about the role and contributions of the braille system to increase your understanding of the significance of the day to promote it and find ways to incorporate Braille into your life or spread awareness of its use.
Give a gift in braille book to a blind student.
The best way to observe the day is to give a braille book to a blind or partially sighted student to support his studies.
Gift a braille toy to a birth blind child
You can gift a braille toy to a blind child who is not enjoying his colorful life. Add some beautiful moments to his life by giving him a toy.
Learn how to read braille
Your learning to braille could be beneficial to instruct and help someone who needs it.
Promote the day
Post relevant material and posts about the matter on social media to promote the day.
Why is the Day Important?
The day plays a key role in raising awareness which can be our combined attempt to fill the gap between normal and disabled persons. Celebrating this day urges children and youth to think about the additional needs of disabled persons and try to fulfill them through innovations and expand their knowledge, as the day is about inclusion and diversity. This day develops a sense of honor for the invention of braille and vision impairment people because they deserve it. Another thing that makes this day more significant is learning Braille, which can keep Louis Braille’s legacy alive.
Interesting Facts About Braille Day 2023
- Braille versions are available in Hebrew, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, and more.
- Uncontracted braille spells out every word, while the contracted braille version uses abbreviations from recognizable words.
- Braille is also used for playing music.
- Braille books are larger than their print counterparts.
- Braille is not a unique language; it is an alphabet to write any language.
- Braille is capitalized only when it is mentioned to Louis Braille, the discoverer of the system. In all other cases, braille should be lowercase, i.e., when the system refers to itself.
- The braille system was neglected until Braille died in misery from illness on January 6, 1852 .
- There’s a unique version of braille called the Nemeth Code, especially for mathematics and science.
- Family classics, such as Monopoly, Uno, and LEGO, are available in braille versions.
- The U.S. schools officially adopted braille for blind students.
- Fast braille readers can whip through a book at 400 words per minute.
Inspiring Quotes of the Braille Day 2024
- Louis Braille said, “Live without seeing, but be what you are.”
- Louis Braille said, “Braille is knowledge, and knowledge is power.”
- “Louis Braille created the code of raised dots for reading and writing that bears his name and brings literacy, independence, and productivity to the blind.” _ (Bob Ney)
- Maya Angelou said, “We are only as blind as we want to be.”
- “There is no better way to Thank God for your sight than by giving a helping hand to someone in the dark”. _ (Hellen Keller)
FAQs
What is Braille?
Braille is a tactile way of writing that uses six raised dots to spell letters and numbers. Partially sighted or blind persons use it to be able to read and write.
How many people are the prevalence of vision problems globally?
Nearly 2.2 billion people have near or distant vision impairment worldwide.
Who invented the Braille System and why?
“Louis Braille” was quite young when he lost his eyesight in an accident. From the age of 10, he stayed at Royal Institute for Blind Youth in France, where he formulated and introduced the raised dots systems finding the solution to his and his fellow’s problem, which became too known as braille.
What are the main reasons for vision loss?
Cataracts and uncorrected refractive errors are the leading causes of vision impairment and blindness.
How many dots are in braille?
The braille system has 63 characters or dots.
Do all blind people are aware of braille?
Most people learn the important symbols of braille to read labels and signs. Unfortunately, 1 in 10 blind persons can read braille.
Can we use braille for playing music?
Yes, of course, you can use it for music. As well as braille can significantly benefit blind musicians.
How can braille use for communication?
The braille offers its user the direct connection to language with seeing words with reader’s fingers.
