UNESCO award winners share insight on role of education

Updated on: Tuesday, September 13, 2011

"Peace is a very fragile commodity, it can easily be shattered by an empty stomach."

This was stated by a UNESCO International Literacy Prizes 2011 winner from Philippines here on the eve of International Literacy Day.

Projects in Burandi, Mexico, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pakistan, and the US have been chosen as winners of UNESCO International Literacy Prizes 2011.

The representatives of these projects were here at India Islamic Culture Centre to share their experiences.

"Peace is a very fragile commodity," said Anwar Egno Maadel, Secretariat, City Literacy Coordinating Council, Local Government of Tagum, Philippines which has been awarded the UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize for the 'Peace Management Literacy and Continuing Education through Night Market' programme.

"It can be shattered easily by an empty stomach, by a wrong perception or understanding of an event, by a person's inability to agree on a common goal," he added.

This is why, he said, the theme of the project was "let learners define the skills they need and help them acquire the means to put these skills to practical use".

The project has been recognised for mobilising governmental and non-governmental organisations in the Philippines city of Tagum, including Christian, Muslim and homosexual groups, to work together on a literacy project.

The Collectif Alpha UJUVI in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been chosen for its programme 'Literacy for the peaceful coexistence of communities and good governance' which started in the province of North Kivu in 2010.

It uses literacy to prevent and resolve tensions and conflicts among inpiduals, communities in the region which has suffered long-term instability and massive displacement of populations leading to permanent insecurity and lack of space.

Other projects that have been chosen and slated to be awarded tomorrow at the International Literacy Day are 'National Literacy Service (Burundi)'; 'National Education for the Education of Adults (Mexico)'; 'Room to Read (USA)'; 'Dr. Allah Baksh Malik, Secretary, Department of Literacy and Non-formal Basic Education (Pakistan)'.

The 2011 International Literacy Prizes reward ground- breaking programs that show the central role of literacy in promoting human rights, gender equality, conflict resolution and cultural persity.

UNESCO award winners share insight on role of education

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