The year 2025 marks the bicentenary of Braille, a revolutionary invention that continues to empower blind and partially sighted people with literacy, knowledge and independence. Created in 1825 by a 16-year-old blind French boy, Louis Braille, this tactile script of raised dots remains indispensable today, even with all our rapid technological progress. Yet there is still an urgent need to integrate braille more widely into public life and embed it in universal design — from product packaging to transportation and everyday environments. That is why the bicentenary is not only a celebration, but also a call to action, write Reiner Delgado, Judit Gombás and Michal Tkáčik (European Blind Union).

The bicentenary of Braille in 2025 offers a valuable opportunity, not only to reflect on its immense contribution to the lives of blind people, but also to evaluate how its potential is being used today and how it should be strengthened for the future. Braille is written by hand with a slate and stylus or with a mechanical writing machine; it is also used with modern technologies such as electronic embossers, electronic braille displays and advanced tactile multi-line devices for computers and smartphones. Braille is not only embossed on paper but also printed with UV lacquer or 3D printers, or produced with CNC milling. In its 200^th year, Braille presents itself as more flexible and adaptable than ever.

Learning to read and write in braille is just as essential for the cognitive development of blind children as learning print is for sighted children. The crucial difference lies in exposure. Sighted children encounter letters and written words everywhere – on toys, in books, on food packaging, in games and on television. For them, reading is a natural, constant, and almost invisible part of life. It is the foundation of all further learning. In contrast, braille users have very limited access to texts. Braille materials are far less available than print books; product packaging rarely carries braille; and, in most cases, the presence of braille in a child’s environment depends to a great extent on efforts undertaken by relatives or specialised institutions.

Using both traditional tools and modern technology, blind children can take part equally in education, blind professionals work as effectively as sighted people – sometimes even more so – and blind people play their role in social and political life. With good training and the support of modern devices, they can access information, create content and communicate in various ways in any area of society.

Making use of all the available channels of perception – reading tactile braille and hearing synthetic speech alongside sight – blind people are nowadays able to work exceedingly efficiently.

Technical development also means that braille has been modernised and updated over the decades. Its use is compatible with electronic devices and it can even be entered speedily on smartphone touch screens.

Blind people use computers and mobile devices with office applications, the internet and social media; they can also produce media with screen reader software and an external braille display. In this way, they can undertake major projects and carry out many different kinds of work.

Braille is also easy to use to enable an inclusive environment, providing information for blind people on pharmaceutical packaging, lift buttons and handrails. Nothing is a faster or more reliable source of information for a blind person than braille that can be touched directly.

The history of braille also shows that national and international legislation can improve everyone's participation in society; inclusive design is a European Union goal in many fields.

Thus the bicentenary of braille is a moment not only to celebrate its importance, but also to call on manufacturers, service providers and policy-makers to recognise its true value. Braille must be integrated into packaging, technical devices, public spaces and transportation systems as part of universal design.

In this way, braille can show its potential for ensuring everyone can fully participate in and contribute to society, politics and the economy. Now that really is a reason to celebrate!

Reiner Delgado (Germany), Judit Gombás (Hungary) and Michal Tkáčik (Slovakia) are members of the European Blind Union’s braille Working Group. You can find more information on this topic at the Euroblind website and on the livingbraille.eu platform.