This years marks the 200th anniversary of the invention of Braille code.
Find out more about the fascinating history of Braille and the work that we're doing to advance its use to support more people with sight loss.
The History of Braille
Louis Braille, inventor of Braille code, was born in France in 1809 and was blinded at the age of three. Louis invented the code in 1824 after discovering night writing - a method of tactile communication that was thought to have been devised so soldiers could communicate silently at night.
By the late 19th century, Braille had expanded to countries all over the world. Over the years, braille technology has developed in the form of braille writing machines to modern day electronic braille note-takers and braille translation software.
Celebrating Braille
To celebrate this major milestone and honour the life-changing contribution that Braille has had to so many, Sight Scotland joined the RNIB Parliamentary Reception and heard directly from braille users who attested to the important role it played in their everyday lives.
A humorous yet eye-opening story about a “cherry sauce in the lasagne” mishap highlighted the need for mandatory braille labelling on food packaging. This inspired discussions of the continued relevance of Braille to this day, 200 years on, and it’s important role as a gateway into literacy, culture and connection for so many people.
In Glasgow, our Lived Experience Policy and Engagement Manager, Nicoletta Primo, attended a second event at the Mitchell Library, where she spoke about our ongoing campaign for mandatory Braille labelling on food products.
This prompted further discussion on legislation that requires braille labelling on medicine packaging, with members of the audience raising key issues on the lack of awareness around accessibility. One example was of pharmacy workers covering braille labels with stickers, rendering this important information illegible to those who need it, and how this has led to grassroots activism.
Both events served as a powerful reminder of the continued importance of Braille, not only as a writing system but as an avenue to accessible education and greater independence. Braille is an essential mode of communication for those with visual impairments and others, and we are dedicated to continuing our work to advocate for and celebrate its use, so it continues to empower people for generations to come. Here’s to the next 200 years!
You can read more about our Accessible Food Labelling campaign as well as the other campaign work our Sight Scotland Policy Team are working on over on our dedicated Campaigns page.
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Our Campaigns
Our dedicated Sight Scotland policy team work with blind and partially sighted people to campaign for positive change. Read more about our campaigning work here.
Accessible Food Labelling
Working with Oban and District Access Panel and Disability Equality Scotland, we have launched a Scottish Parliament petition urging the Scottish Government to create a statutory duty for businesses and retailers to provide braille labels on food pro
What is braille?
Braille is a tactile system that allows blind and partially sighted people to access literacy by reading and writing.