Posted on: 04.01.2023.
Author: ssvetec
In 2018, the UN adopted the World Blind Union Resolution, which confirmed January 4 as World Braille Day.
Louis Braille was born on January 4, 1807, in Coupvray, France, and it was precisely the date of his birth that was chosen to celebrate Braille Day. As a three-year-old, little Louis went blind after injuring himself in his father's workshop. However, this accident did not sway him at all and he invented and perfected a script for blind and partially sighted people.
The alphabet has six points and sixty-three characters. There are three of these six dots in two vertical rows, and each alphabet letter, number, or spelling sign has its combination of these dots. It is read by the touch of the hand, i.e. by moving the fingers across the paper from left to right.
Braille is the basis of literacy and education of blind people all over the world, it enables them equality and participation in all aspects of life. There are about thirty-six million blind and two hundred and sixteen million visually impaired people in the world today. Thanks to this alphabet, they have the opportunity to be educated, work, and enjoy reading like any other person with a healthy vision.
Louis Braille died on January 6, 1852, in Paris. Two years after his death, the alphabet was officially recognized by France, and then it began to be used around the world. The European commissions of science and art declared Braille the greatest technical achievement of the 19th century.
To this day, it is the only alphabet used by blind and partially sighted people that helps them and enables them to participate equally in everyday life.
