Adult literacy and international development Wednesday, June 24, 2009 - 17:02

A NIACE literacy seminar exploring the role of adult literacy has in international development - building healthy communities and ending poverty - is being held in London on Wednesday 1 July.

Although the 2006 Global Monitoring Report (GMR) reported that, 'Adult literacy has been neglected all over the world and it must become a higher priority for national and international agendas', the Global Campaign for Education's theme for 2009 is adult and youth literacy, and there is growing acceptance of the key role that adult literacy plays in international development goals.

The NIACE seminar - Literacy learning and global development - is one of the first ina series of important events. This issue will continue to receive attention at UKFIET's International Conference on Education and  Development in Oxford in September 2009 and the global conference on adult education - CONFINTEA VI - will be informed by the workshop's thinking and analysis of literacy.

Literacy learning and global development will raise questions and share knowledge relating to the development of adult literacy and numeracy.

Jan Eldred, NIACE's Associate Director for International work, said:

"I have just returned from an international gathering in Bonn, Germany, where financing adult learning in global development was the theme."

"It became apparent to me that many people from different agencies, governments and providers from all over the world recognise the absolutely central role which literacy has to play in building families, communities and countries to eradicate poverty and generate healthy and autonomous nations."

"This seminar will illustrate just how adult literacy can contribute to international development and will address the challenges in advocating it to governments around the world and mobilising political will."

"This seminar will result in agreed priorities for action to take this important issue forward."