Islamabad (Web Desk): World Braille Day is being observed today (Saturday) across the globe including Pakistan.
The theme of the Day for 2025 is "Celebrating Accessibility and Inclusion for the Visually Impaired".
Braille (named after its inventor in 19th century France, Louis Braille) is used by blind and partially sighted people to read the same books and periodicals as those printed in a visual font.
Braille is a tactile representation of alphabetic and numerical symbols using six dots to represent each letter and number, and even musical, mathematical and scientific symbols.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have expressed their commitment to creating a society that empowers all individuals through accessible education, equipping schools with Braille books and establishing specialized centres for visually impaired individuals.
In their separate messages on the occasion of World Braille Day being observed today, both leaders reaffirmed the government's resolve to improve access to education and other facilities for blind individuals.
President Asif Ali Zardari highlighted the necessity of providing high-quality educational and informational materials in Braille throughout the country.
He said Braille is a vital resource for education and information for visually impaired individuals, as access to knowledge is essential for their social and economic independence.
He stated that on this day, we join the global community in celebrating the transformative power of Braille.
“This remarkable system has opened doors to knowledge, communication, and independence for millions of visually impaired individuals worldwide,” the premier said.
PM Shehbaz said that Braille is not just a tool for reading and writing; it is also a gateway to inclusivity and equal opportunities, enabling individuals to lead independent and dignified lives.
Both the leaders urged every individual to contribute to promoting accessibility and inclusivity in society for all.
According to the United Nations (UN), World Braille Day, celebrated since 2019, is observed to raise awareness of the importance of Braille as a means of communication in the full realization of the human rights for blind and partially sighted people.
Braille is essential in the context of education, freedom of expression and opinion, as well as social inclusion, as reflected in article 2 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
