World Braille Day

World Braille Day honors the genius who made it possible for the blind or visually impaired to explore the world around them. Millions of people use his invention and cannot imagine life without it. Join the celebration to support them!

History

Louis Braille was born into a shoemaker’s family in 1809 in France. He was destined for a difficult fate, but he overcame all obstacles. It all started with an accident when four-year-old Louis played with leather in his father’s workshop, trying to pierce it with an awl. Due to infantile carelessness, the point slipped and landed right in his eye. Of course, it was not perfectly clean, and the baby got infected. Over time, the disease spread to the other eye, and at the age of 5 Braille became blind.

Blindness did not prevent him from getting an excellent education: the boy studied well at school and then entered the Paris Institute for the Blind. The teaching was based on tactile sensations so that each student could explore the world on their own. The Night Alphabet, invented in 1821, was also used. However, it was not perfect, so Louis, who had already received a position as a junior teacher in the same institution, decided to create a more practical font.

He conducted dozens of experiments in search of the ideal solution, with practically no free time. In 1824, the young man compiled an alphabet consisting of 63 combinations of dots, enabling the blind to read. After some additions, he presented the invention to the council of the institute, but the management found it inconvenient. In 1837, the final version appeared and conquered the world.

Interesting facts

Did you know that:

• an asteroid is named after Braille;
• the font is used in almost all languages of the world;
• the “Braille Challenge” takes place in Los Angeles, where students compete in spelling and reading;
• there is a street in honor of the inventor in Riga, renamed in 2016.

How to celebrate

Learn to read using the Braille system on World Braille Day! If you already know how, share your knowledge with others. Give a gift in Braille to someone who is visually impaired or make a donation to relevant charities.

When is World Braille Day in 2025?

World Braille Day is observed on January 4 each year.

Observations