World Coding Day is an international day celebrated annually on October 29 by UNESCO. This day was declared to highlight the importance of coding in economic development, innovation, and digitalization processes. Its main objectives include raising awareness of coding skills across society and promoting digital literacy.

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History

The UNESCO General Conference has declared October 29 as World Coding Day. The resolution invites member states to organize national, regional, and international events to commemorate this day. The first celebration took place in 2024. It has been stated that the implementation of the resolution has no financial impact on UNESCO's regular budget.

Purpose and Importance

Coding is defined as a field that combines logic, creativity, and innovation, going beyond being merely a technical skill. It connects with different disciplines such as science, technology, engineering, mathematics, communication, art, and language. Learning to code enables individuals to develop their logical thinking and problem-solving skills and produce innovative solutions.

Computer code, as a fundamental language that defines and structures the digital world, plays a central role in the development of artificial intelligence systems. The lack of diversity and inclusivity in the field of coding can lead to digitalization reflecting social biases and inequalities. UNESCO therefore aims to make coding and digital skills accessible to everyone.

Inequality in Access and Participation

According to UNESCO's 2024 report, access to coding skills varies according to countries' income levels. While only 0.5% of young people in low-income countries can receive coding education, this rate is 14% in high-income countries. Furthermore, women make up 35% of graduates in science, engineering, and mathematics worldwide, and only 26% of those working in data and artificial intelligence.^【1】 

UNESCO's Initiatives and Applications

UNESCO is undertaking various initiatives to increase equality in coding and digital skills. The Africa-Asia Youth Coding Initiative provides advanced technology training to young people, offering opportunities in coding and artificial intelligence. Since 2015, UNESCO has played a key role in organizing Africa Code Week. Under this initiative, 14 million young people have been trained, 100,000 teachers have been mobilized, and it has been implemented in 40 countries.^【2】 

UNESCO defines coding not only as a technical skill but as a competency that must be developed alongside ethical and critical thinking. The artificial intelligence competency frameworks created for teachers and students, along with the “Think critically, click wisely” online course, highlight the importance of these skills in understanding the ethical and social impacts of digital technologies.