World Literacy Day, celebrated on September 8th, was created by UNESCO in November 1965 and first celebrated in 1966. The purpose of the date is to highlight the importance of literacy for people and societies. In a modern, technological and advanced society, it is estimated that around 800 million adults still cannot read or write, while more than 122 million school-age children do not go to school. Women make up two-thirds of the world's illiterate population.