91�鶹������Ʒ����

On 7 July 2022, the International Jury of the 2022 (ILP2022) got together to deliberate the nominations submitted to UNESCO from around the world. This year’s theme is “Transforming Literacy Learning Spaces” and will explore the various pathways existing to deliver literacy learning, with a special focus on youth and adults in the framework of life-long learning.

Composed of , the International Jury identified six innovative literacy programmes that have distinguished themselves through particularly remarkable initiatives which transform the traditional conception of literacy learning space. The UNESCO Director-General will approve the laureates after the Jury members submit its assessment of nominations and recommendations.

In the opening session, the Jury members shared their thoughts on the thematic focus of this year. Mr Ngaka, Senior Lecturer in the College of Education and External Studies at Makerere University, Uganda, showed his enthusiasm in being part of the Jury, despite the crisis his home country is currently going through. Ms Dajani, Professor at Hashemite University in Jordan, visiting professor at University of Richmond, highlighted that she intends to focus her analysis on the emergence of new actors, where they may be identified, on the involvement of technology in view of ensuring more effective learning methods, and on the adoption of holistic approaches that bring together all the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Ms Xie Zheping, Associate Professor of Education at the Institute of Education and Chair of this year’s Jury, affirmed to be very pleased with this year’s high number of nominations received.

Mr Benseman, an adult literacy expert from New Zealand with over 40 years of experience, underlined that it is one of his goals to ensure the laureates represent various socio-economic groups, as well as different regions of the world. He also intends to see strong evidence of what has been achieved in the several nominated programmes, as well as evidence of innovation, that is, something new in the adopted learning methods. Lastly, Mr Cho, Professor in the Department of Korean Language and Literature and Vice Director of the Institute of Language and Information Studies at Yonsei University, Republic of Korea, mentioned that the Jury must take into consideration whether the programme includes the local mother tongue in its learning approaches, and whether it promotes women’s emancipation or the development of rural communities or adult education. There was common consensus on the high importance attributed to keep promoting literacy among the least advantaged socio-economic groups across the world.

Literacy learning spaces include the physical environment, learning materials, and activities required to facilitate the creation of the space, while the socio-cultural environment, political environment, partnerships, and the assessment of literacy activities is crucial for the sustenance of these spaces.  With an expanded definition of literacy, it is evident that literacy learning is occurring beyond traditional ‘school-classroom’ spaces, such as at workplace, community, family, virtually, to name a few informal and non-formal learning spaces. To sustain and intensify efforts in transforming literacy learning spaces, UNESCO chose this theme for the ILP2022.

The laureates’ work will feed into International Literacy Day 2022 (ILD2022) which will be celebrated on 8 September across the world under the theme, ‘Transforming Literacy Learning Spaces’. A global event will be organized on 8 and 9 September 2022 in a hybrid format and will take place at Côte d’Ivoire. ILD2022 will count with the participation of all six ILP2022 laureates, who will be officially presented during the event.

Since 1967, UNESCO International Literacy Prizes have rewarded excellence and innovation in the field of literacy to support effective and innovative literacy practices and promote dynamic literate societies to bridge the global literacy challenges faced by a number of children, youth and adults, including 771 million youth and adults who lack basic literacy skills.

The two International Literacy Prizes are: the UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize, established in 1989, with the support of the Government of the Republic of Korea, which gives special consideration to the mother language-based literacy development; and the UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy, established in 2005, with the support of the Government of the People’s Republic of China, which is dedicated to functional literacy leveraging technological environments, in support of adults in rural areas and out-of-school youth.