Photo from Internet of President Obama speaking to school children

Did you know that on today, September 8th, the nation and the world is celebrating International Literacy Day?  This year's theme celebrates the Power of Literacy.  Check-out what's going on around the world and in Baltimore! 

• President Barack Obama is gearing up today for his first live speech to American children in schools all across the nation.  At 12 Noon (Eastern Time), President Obama will encourage American children to take responsibility for their education.   His talk will air live on C-Span and on the White House's website (http://www.whitehouse.gov/live/).
• Former First Lady Laura Bush is in Paris today serving in her role as the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Honorary Ambassador for the United Nation's Literacy Decade to promote global literacy.  An AP news story reports that Mrs. Bush, a former school teacher, said the following during a CNN interview: "There's a place for the president of the United States to talk to school children and encourage school children [to stay in school.] I also think it's also really important for everyone to respect the president of the United States."  The AP news story also reports that the former first lady said that parents and others also need to send that message(http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090908/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_laura_bush_obama).
• Adult Literacy Guru, David Rosen, will host an online discussion with Erik Jacobson, Cecilia S. Ochoa, Brenda Bell, Barbara Garner, and Ujwala Samant regarding “nonformal education” and its meaning and application to the field of adult literacy in the U.S. and globally. Discussion questions will also address the influence that experts such as Paulo Friere, Carman St. John Hunter, Welthy Honsinger Fisher, Augusto Boal, and Myles Horton have had on adult literacy in the U.S. and elsewhere. Starting today, guests will also share their views on how the US has influenced, or been influenced by, other countries on such things as participatory learning, action research, and the integration of basic skills with job training.  Subscribe to this discussion at http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics/

• Enoch Pratt Free Library (http://www.prattlibrary.org/) branches in Baltimore are open.  Take the opportunity today to take your child or a child that you mentor to a local Enoch Pratt Free Library and stock up on lots of good books!