As decided by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), on which date every year is International Literacy Day observed worldwide to promote awareness about the importance of literacy?

Introduction / Context:
International Literacy Day is one of the key observances initiated by UNESCO to draw global attention to the importance of literacy for individuals, communities, and societies. Literacy is fundamental for education, empowerment, and socio economic development. The date on which International Literacy Day is observed every year is a common general knowledge question in many competitive exams, and knowing it helps you remember when campaigns and events related to literacy are usually conducted.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The observance is International Literacy Day.
• UNESCO is the organisation that decided this observance.
• The question asks for the date observed every year.
• Options include 8th September, 18th September, 8th March, and 18th March.

Concept / Approach:
International Literacy Day is celebrated annually on 8th September. This date was chosen by UNESCO to highlight the global challenge of illiteracy and to encourage governments, organisations, and individuals to take action. By contrast, 8th March is International Women's Day and 18th March or 18th September do not correspond to this particular literacy observance. Remembering the association between literacy and early September helps in correctly answering the question.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the specific international day mentioned, which is International Literacy Day. Step 2: Recall that UNESCO selected 8th September as the date to focus on literacy issues around the world. Step 3: Check the listed dates and match 8th September with your memory of when literacy related events are publicised. Step 4: Recognise that 8th March is International Women's Day, not International Literacy Day. Step 5: Conclude that 8th September is the correct date among the options.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this by recalling common school and college activities. Many educational institutions organise essay competitions, rallies, or special programmes on literacy in early September and refer to the day as International Literacy Day, which falls on 8th September. United Nations and UNESCO calendars also list this date specifically for literacy, confirming the answer once you recall those references.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
18th September is not associated with International Literacy Day in UNESCO calendars. 8th March is reserved for International Women's Day, focusing on women's rights and gender equality. 18th March does not correspond to the literacy theme either. Therefore, none of these other dates matches the official observance date for International Literacy Day.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners sometimes confuse different international days due to the large number of observances on the United Nations calendar. For instance, they may accidentally pick 8th March because it is another well known global day. Another pitfall is mixing up 8th September and 18th September due to similar looking numbers. To avoid such confusion, it is helpful to link the date with a simple mental image, such as early September marking the start of many academic calendars and literacy campaigns.

Final Answer:
International Literacy Day is observed every year on 8th September.