© UNESCO
EUR-Alpha’s fifth partnership meeting, taking place from 13 to 15 June 2012 in Brussels, was attended by more than 40 learners, tutors and managers from governmental and non-governmental literacy organisations from different European countries. The main objectives were to finalise preparations for a high-level advocacy event which is scheduled for 4 September 2012 in Bonn and to discuss possibilities for future cooperation and exchange. UIL is a member of EUR-Alpha, a network of 15 partner organisations from 11 European countries, which is running activities over a period of three years (from October 2009 to September 2012) with funds from the European Commission within the Grundtvig Lifelong Learning Programme. It is coordinated by the Belgian NGO Lire et Écrire. What makes the network unique is the direct involvement of learners and their development of a Manifesto with their political demands. While their very first demand is to “have a voice in Europe“, the learners‘ Manifesto ends with an encouragement for learners and adults with literacy needs in Europe to spread this message and organise themselves. During the meeting in Brussels, a theatre trainer worked with 17 learners to develop a sequence of sketches to present selected topics of their Manifesto at the Bonn event. Also the tutors developed their Charter which is rather a pedagogical document and based on good practice collected from the different countries. The overall focus of the good practices, which will be published and presented at the Bonn event, is participation and empowerment of learners.
