The United Nations(UN’s) World Braille Day is observed annually on January 4 across the globe to commemorate the birth anniversary of Louis Braille, the 19th-century French inventor of the Braille writing system. This day emphasizes the importance of Braille as a means of communication for individuals who are blind or partially sighted.
- January 4 2025 marks the observance of 7th World Braille Day and the 216th birth anniversary of Louis Braille.
- The day aims to raise awareness about Braille’s significance in promoting education, encouraging independence and ensuring equality for the visually impaired.
History and Background:
i.World Braille Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on December 17 2018, through the adoption of resolution A/RES/73/161.
ii.The day honors the pioneering work of Louis Braille, who, at the age of 15, created the Braille system in 1824.
- The 1st World Braille Day was observed on January 4, 2019.
Braille: A Tactile System of Communication
i.Braille is a tactile writing system designed specifically for blind and partially sighted individuals.
- It utilizes 6 dots arranged in a rectangular cell with raised dots in a 3 x 2 pattern representing letters, numbers & punctuation marks that allows users to read by touch, an accessible way to engage with written content.
ii.Braille and Its Versatility: Braille is not limited to alphabetic and numerical symbols but also extends to musical, mathematical, and scientific symbols and even computer programming enabling users to access a wide range of information.
iii.Before Braille’s invention, visually impaired individuals relied on the Haüy system, which embossed Latin letters on thick paper to read but was not practical for writing.
- He simplified this process, creating a system that was easier to use and required less training.
About Louis Braille:
i.Louis Braille was born on January 4, 1809, in Coupvray, France. At the age of 3, he accidentally injured his right eye, and by the age of 5, he was completely blind.
ii.His journey towards creating the Braille system began, at the age of 12, when he learned about “night writing,” a 12-dot code invented by French Army officer Charles Barbier for military communication.
iii.His system was 1st published in 1829 in his maiden book “Method of Writing Words, Music, and Plain Songs by Means of Dots”, for use by the blind and arranged for them.
iv.He was passed away at the age of 43 on January 06, 1852.
UN’s Role in Promoting Braille:
i.The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), adopted in 2006, acknowledges the Braille system as a fundamental tool for communication, education, and freedom of expression for people with visual impairments.
ii.In 1949, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) worked toward standardizing Braille, and by 1950, it had helped universalize the Braille alphabet.
- In 2005, UNESCO declared Braille to be as legitimate a language as any other.
Key Facts:
i.According to the World Health Organisation(WHO), over 2.2 billion people globally face near or distant vision impairment. Approximately 1 billion cases could have been prevented or remain unaddressed.
ii.According to the 2011 Census, India has 5,032,463 individuals with visual impairment, including those with visual impairments, face major challenges in accessing healthcare, education, and employment.
