World Braille Day 2024: Date, Theme, Significance, And History

Utkarsh Classes Last Updated 04-01-2024

World Braille Day 2024: Date, Theme, Significance, And History

Important Day 4 min read

World Braille Day is celebrated every year on 4 January to raise awareness about the importance of Braille. Braille is the only medium of communication for blind and partially sighted people.

January 4 is the birthday of Louis Braille, the inventor of the Braille script. Louis Braille was born in France in 1809.
In memory of Louis Braille, the United Nations has announced that it will celebrate 4 January yearly as World Braille Day. Louis Braille has made significant contributions to education, communication and social inclusion.
Braille is not a language but a code. It is used to write any language. Braille is available in many languages. Like Sanskrit, Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew, Spanish and other languages.

The theme of World Braille Day 2023:

‘Reaching the blind and visually impaired’. This theme aims to make access to more and more facilities easier for blind and visually impaired persons.

History of World Braille Day:

World Braille Day is celebrated to commemorate the invention of the Braille system by a Frenchman named Louis Braille. Before the technology was developed by Louis Braille, blind and partially sighted people read using the Hoy system. It had Latin letters embossed on thick paper.
The shortcomings of this method led Braille to develop a more simple and straightforward braille system.
It is a symbol-based code written in the shape of raised dots. People use their touch to decipher Braille code and continue studying or communicating.
The method was generally neglected until Braille died of illness in Paris on January 6, 1852.
The United Nations declared January 4 as World Braille Day in a proclamation issued in 2018.

Importance of World Braille Day:

The day aims to raise awareness about the Braille language, which attempts to bridge the gap between normal and disabled people.
On the occasion of World Braille Day on 4th January, the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is organizing several programs.
On the occasion of Braille Day, NIEPMD Muttukadu is organizing a slogan and pamphlet competition based on the life of Louis Braille.
Braille writing competitions, speech drama, poetry and song competitions are being organized by CRC Gorakhpur on the occasion of World Braille Day.
An orientation lecture about Braille and Hindi Braille writing competition is being organized by CRC Nagpur.