I count myself very lucky.

Both my parents were avid readers and they encouraged my habit all through my life. Now that I have a young daughter there is nothing I love more than reading to her and sharing the excitement of a story. World Literacy Day is an important reminder that not everyone has that opportunity. Across the Globe nearly 15% of adults cannot read or write and, even more shamefully, in the UK nearly 20% of adults still have ‘very low literacy skills’.

Literacy is innately a practical skill: it enables employment and self-sufficiency but, at heart, literacy is something much, much more. It is the gateway to a world of imagination and knowledge that supports and connects people throughout their lives.

In a world that feels very divided at the moment, literacy and the sharing of stories is one of the few things that can bridge that divide. It reveals how much we share: our fears, our loves, our joys and our losses; in short, our humanity.

I’ve always been passionate about storytelling. My early career was spent in the theatre where everything is about how best to communicate the story of the play, to pass on the power of the action. That same power which draws us in to a great story is present, not just in a novel or a film or a piece of theatre, but all around us. In every piece of memorable branding, in every event that resonates, in every email or post that makes you pause, storytelling is at the very heart. Without it there can be no shared association, no recognition, no loyalty and, essentially, no success.

The passion of people for storytelling reveals itself everywhere and in everything we do and is rooted in two things; clarity and simplicity.  Every story has something to communicate and, no matter how long the story, it will only be successful if the message is clear and simple. The feeling of a great story stays with you long after the after the words are forgotten. This is because the message is clear, simply expressed, fundamental, human.

Here at Whitewall we are proud of our record of listening to our clients, searching for the meaning in their words and distilling their message to something simple and clear. All of our clients are proud of their business, their brand and their associations with them, what Whitewall do is open up that pride and passion to the world. We tell their story.

So, when you come to think about World Literacy Day and what it means to you, I would urge you not to think about your favourite book but to think about your favourite story. Whether it is simple, powerful, personal or universal, I hope it is something that resonates with you, far beyond its words, to something that deep down connects us all. A shared humanity.

Millions of people around the world cannot express their hopes, their emotions and their dreams in this way. They cannot access this shared humanity. The whole world is poorer for this loss and for the stories that will never be told.