UNESCO celebrates World Coders Day to promote digital literacy

UNESCO has designated October 29 as World Coders Day to recognize the critical role of programming in the modern digital era. The initiative aims to highlight the importance of technological innovation and the development of digital skills globally.

As coding evolves from a specialized technical skill to a form of digital literacy, the rise of generative artificial intelligence is enabling more people to create applications through natural language. However, experts emphasize that while AI facilitates creativity, users still require the competence to understand how systems function, detect errors, and manage risks.

UNESCO continues to support open-source software and is working to preserve source code as a shared digital public good. This archive currently contains approximately 28 billion files accessible to students, teachers, and researchers. Additionally, there is a focused effort to ensure universal access to coding education, particularly for women and girls, who remain underrepresented in the field.