Programmes in Bhutan, Colombia, Indonesia and Rwanda awarded UNESCO International Literacy Prizes

Paris, 21 August – Literacy programmes from Bhutan, Indonesia, Colombia and Rwanda are the winners of UNESCO’s literacy prizes for 2012. The Director-General of UNESCO Irina Bokova announced the laureates today, upon the recommendation of an international jury. They will receive their awards at a ceremony to be held at UNESCO Headquarters on 6 September, as part of the celebrations for International Literacy Day on 8 September.

The Directorate of Community Education Development in Indonesia will receive one of the two UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prizes. This government programme on ‘Improving quality of literacy education through entrepreneurship literacy, reading culture and tutor training’ involves almost three million people, and places special emphasis on illiterate women, for whom programs combining life skills and basic literacy training are provided.

The second UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize goes to the ‘National Adult Literacy Programme’ of the Pentecostal Church in Rwanda. The programme is selected for its focus on women and out-of-school youth, reaching over 100,000 people in more than 3,500 literacy centres, and for its aim of ensuring the right of every individual to literacy and basic education, including the acquisition of knowledge about human rights, reconciliation and peace-building.

The ‘Non-formal and Continuing Education programme’ of the Department of Adult and Higher Education in Bhutan will receive one of theUNESCO Confucius Prizes for Literacy. This programme is selected for serving the learning and training needs of the rural community, and particularly those of women and girls, through the provision of basic literacy and functional skills in over 950 centres.

The second UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy goes to the ‘Interactive System (Transformemos Educando)Programme,’ operated by the Fundación Transformemos in Colombia. The programme is recognized for its peace-building activities in areas affected by conflict and violence. It includes income-generation activities and literacy provision through an intercultural approach. Since it began in 2006, 300,000 persons have benefited from the programme’s activities.

The UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize was created in 1989 by the Government of the Republic of Korea. The UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy was created in 2005 by the Government of the People’s Republic of China. The four laureates will each receive $20,000 USD, a diploma and a medal.