UIL plans activities for International Literacy Day and the run-up to it

UIL is planning a number of activities for International Literacy Day (8 September) and the days leading up to it. In 2012, the theme is “Literacy and Peace”, emphasizing the need to unlock the full potential of literacy to act as a force for peace. Literacy can equip individuals, their families and communities to strengthen mutual understanding and promote a culture of dialogue. Literacy is also a development accelerator. There is therefore an urgent need to increase political commitment to literacy and accelerate related action to meet the Education for All (EFA) Goal 4 by 2015.

On 4 September, the European Network for Adult Literacy and Numeracy (EUR-Alpha Network), of which UIL is a member, is holding a conference entitled “Literacy learning – its place in Europe: The issues and concerns of learners and tutors”. The conference, to take place in Bonn, Germany, will be attended by around 100 participants from the Network and other partner organisations from 16 European countries. The conference will start with a series of speeches, including a presentation by UIL on current literacy challenges at the global level, while a further presentation by the European Commission will address literacy challenges in Europe. The highlight, however, will be the launch of a Charter for Tutor Training and a Leaners’ Manifesto entitled Voice of writing and reading learners in Europe, setting out the political demands of learners. While their first demand is to “have a voice in Europe,” the Learners‘ Manifesto ends with an encouragement to learners and adults with literacy needs in Europe to spread this message and organise themselves (see http://www.eur-alpha.eu/)

On 5 and 6 September, the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union is holding a conference on “Literacy for All” in Nicosia, Cyprus. The main purpose of this conference is to launch and discuss the report of the High-Level Group of experts on literacy, chaired by HRH Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands. The expert group was established in February 2011 to give visibility and importance to the issue of raising literacy levels in Europe, to analyse literacy data and to identify examples of effective policies. UIL had already been invited last year to provide input. At the conference, UIL will give a keynote presentation on literacy from the point of view of an international organization. UIL will also participate in an expert panel to provide feedback on the workshop reports and discuss possible follow up to the deliberations of the High-Level Group (see http://www.cy2012.eu/index.php/en/political-calendar/areas/education-youth-culture-and-sport/presidency-conference-on-literacy).

On 6 and 7 September, UNESCO will organize a High-level International Round Table on Literacy in Paris, France, which is entitled “Reaching the 2015 Literacy Target: Delivering on the Promise!”. Participants from over 41 target countries, including the 36 countries participating in UNESCO’s Literacy Initiative for Empowerment (LIFE), will use this interactive forum to discuss achievements, challenges and the way forward. UIL, as a co-convener of the event, will chair the opening and engage in brain-storming to develop proposals for accelerating literacy efforts at all levels (see http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/education-building-blocks/literacy/literacy-prizes/high-level-international-round-table/).  

On 6 September, as a component of the High-level Literacy Round Table and as part of the celebrations in connection with International Literacy Day, the ceremony to award the 2012 UNESCO Literacy Prizes will also take place (see http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/education-building-blocks/literacy/literacy-prizes/). Three of the prize-winning literacy programmes are included in UIL’s Effective Literacy Practices Database (LitBase).

On 7 September, the German Ministry of Education and Research, the Research and Development on Adult Literacy and Basic Education Project (Alphabund) and the project coordinator DLR (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.) will celebrate the annual National Literacy Day event in Berlin, Germany. At this event, a delegation of German adult learners will present the European Manifesto developed in the context of the EUR-Alpha Network and launched on 4 September at the Bonn conference. UIL will participate in a round table discussion on national and international literacy challenges and how to follow up on the United Nations Literacy Decade (see http://www.alphabund.de/Weltalphabetisierungstag_2012.467.0.html) .