Global Meeting on Literacy and Sustainable Societies on the occasion of International Literacy Day 2015 UNESCO Headquarters, Room II 8 and 9 September 2015 Provisional Agenda Main expected outcomes: Key areas to be focused on in the post-2015 era to promote youth and adult literacy as part of the future sustainable development agenda identified. Main issues related to monitoring and assessing youth and adult literacy in the post- 2015 era clarified, and the clarity of monitoring mechanisms improved. Effective global coordination mechanisms to ensure sustained and intensified efforts to advance youth and adult literacy identified. Tuesday 8 September 2015: Morning High-level segment 9:00 9:45 Opening session Chairperson: Mr Qian Tang, Assistant Director-General for Education, UNESCO Remarks: Ms Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO Ministers of Education from 3 countries (tbc) 9:45 11:15 High-level panel discussion: Literacy and sustainable societies The panellists will discuss the importance of literacy and its role in the post-2015 era from a number of perspectives: literacy as a human right, literacy to build human capital, literacy to develop capabilities and literacy for sustainable development. 11:15 11:30 Coffee break Moderator: French Journalist (tbd) Mr Qian Tang, Assistant Director-General for Education, UNESCO 5-6 panellists on different areas of sustainable development 11:30 11:45 Testimonies: A youth learner from France: How literacy transformed me, and my life A teacher of adult literacy programme (tbc): What changes have teachers brought about and what challenges have they encountered? 1
11:45 13:00 The UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize The UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy Awards Ceremony Director-General of UNESCO People s Republic of China Republic of Korea Jury Five laureates (7 minutes each) 13:00 14:30 Lunch Tuesday 8 September: Afternoon Technical meeting: Creating a sustainable and literate society 14:30 15:15 Session 1: Changing literacy landscape This session will review the progress made on literacy since 2000 and highlight the issues yet to be addressed to attain a more literate society. Changing literacy landscapes: achievements, unfinished agenda and emergent issues in the post-2015 era, Mr David Atchoarena, Director, Division for Policies and Lifelong Learning Systems, UNESCO (tbc) Overview of progress made on literacy since 2000, Mr Aaron Benavot, Director, Education for All Global Monitoring Report (tbc) Questions and answers 15:15 16:00 Success factors: Representatives from 2 countries (tbd) Retrospective and prospective reflections on youth and adult literacy (tbc) Question and answers 16:00 16:15 Coffee break 16:15 18:00 Panel session 1: Reinforcing the links between literacy and sustainable development In this session, the literacy agenda in the post-2015 era will be reflected on, paying particular attention to the interrelations between literacy and key areas of sustainable development. While literacy is a driver for sustainable development, making progress in each area of development contributes to creating demand, opportunities and conducive environments for people to acquire, use and advance their literacy skills. Moderator: (tbd) Presentation: Interrelations of literacy and sustainable development 2
Panel discussion: International Labour Organization (tbc) United Nations Development Programme (tbc) United Nations Environmental Programme (tbc) World Health Organization (tbc) Social fund of a country (tbc) NGO (tbc) Expert (tbc) 18:30 20:00 Reception Wednesday 9 September 2015: Morning Expert meeting: Creating a sustainable and literate society (continued) 9:00 10:00 Session 2: Effective policies and lifelong learning systems to increase the synergies between literacy and sustainable development The promotion of youth and adult literacy as part of lifelong learning requires efforts in different fields, such as policies, governance, programmes, monitoring and evaluation, and financing, as well as teaching and learning. This session will examine effective policies and lifelong learning systems to promote literacy and literate environments, notably in terms of their potential to reinforce synergies between literacy and sustainable development. It will also bear in mind a transformative vision of future education: inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all. Policies to foster synergies between literacy and sustainable development (tbd) Adult literacy policies in Europe: Dr. Christine Garbe, Coordinator, European Commission s European Literacy Network (ELINET) Making acquired literacy skills visible through recognition, validation and accreditation (RVA) frameworks, A country representative (tbd) 10:00 10:45 Panel session 2: Literacy and Global Citizenship As reflected in the seven post-2015 education goals proposed by the Muscat Agreement (2014) and the focus areas of the UN Secretary General s Global Education Fast Initiative (GEFI), global citizenship education is increasingly gaining currency in the contemporary world. This session will explore the interrelations between literacy and global citizenship education. How does literacy provide learners with the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes required to be global citizens? How can literacy learning be reinforced through the increased respect for human rights, social justice, equity and inclusion, diversity, gender equality and environmental sustainability promoted by global citizens? Moderator: (tbd) Panellists: (tbd) 3
10:45 11:00 Coffee break 11:00 11:20 Session 3: Innovative teaching and learning of youth and adult literacy embedded in sustainable development work This session will examine key issues such as curricula, teachers and facilitators, pedagogy, materials, and learning environments, with a view to identifying successful initiatives and innovative measures to enhance the synergies between literacy and key areas of development. Following a Plenary presentation that will provide an overview of critical issues in the field, participants will be asked to divide into three groups. Moderator: (tbc) Presentation: What matters in quality teaching and learning of youth and adult literacy: (tbc) Introduction to the group work: Mr Borhene Chakroun, Chief, Section of Youth, Literacy and Skills Development, UNESCO 11:20 11:30 Moving to each group 11:30 13:00 Session 3: Innovative teaching and learning of youth and adult literacy embedded in sustainable development work (continued) - Group work Group 1: Curriculum, pedagogy, learning materials for literacy learning embedded in development efforts A 10 minute presentation followed by group discussion Group 2: Building the capacities of teachers, facilitators, professionals and staff A 10 minute presentation followed by group discussion Group 3: Harnessing the potential of ICTs for literacy teaching and learning for youth and adults A 10 minute presentation followed by group discussion 13:00 14:00 Lunch Wednesday 9 September 2015: Afternoon Expert meeting : Creating a sustainable and literate society (Continued) 14:00 14:30 Session 3: Innovative teaching and learning of youth and adult literacy embedded in sustainable development work (continued) Reporting on the Group work (5 minutes each) 14:30 15:30 Session 4: Monitoring and assessing literacy progress in the post-2015 era This session will explore ways of improving how progress made on youth and adult literacy is monitored and assessed in light of the proposed post-2015 framework for action. It also aims to improve the clarity of the monitoring mechanisms required. 4
Monitoring of literacy progress in the post-2015 era: what needs to be monitored and the need for improved data, Ms Silvia Montoya, Director, UNESCO Institute for Statistics (tbc) Measuring adult literacy skills: Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies, A representative from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (tbc) Post-2015 monitoring mechanisms, Mr Aaron Benavot, EFA Global Monitoring Team (tbc) 15:30 16:30 Session 5: Towards adequate and sustained funding for youth and adult literacy Developing a more literate society requires translating policies into practice, to which adequate and sustained financing for youth and adult literacy is central. This session will examine funding needs and means to meet such needs. Moderator: Financing for youth and adult literacy in the post-2015 era: Reflection on recent global debates (tbc) Multi-sectoral national investment in adult literacy: (tbc) Support Fund for Literacy and Non-Formal Education: cost-sharing between the government, donors and the private sector, A country representative (tbc) Why we need to support youth and adult literacy: A country representative (tbc) 16:30 16:45 Coffee break 16:45 17:50 Session 6: Reinforcing coordination and partnerships in youth and adult literacy This session will explore ways of fostering partnerships and enhancing the effectiveness of coordination among literacy stakeholders and development partners, with a view to more harmonised and sustained global efforts for youth and adult literacy. A new global education coordination mechanism, Mr Jordan Naidoo, Director, Education for All and Global Agenda Coordination Team, UNESCO (tbc) A global alliance for literacy, Mr Arne Carlsen, Director of the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning 17:50 18:00 Closing session Closing remarks, Mr David Atchoarena, UNESCO 5
On the occasion of International Literacy Day, the following exhibitions will be organised around the venue of the global meeting (Room II): UNESCO exhibition: 2015 Edition of the UNESCO International Literacy Prizes (Foyer Room I and on the fences outside the main entrance of UNESCO) Exhibition: 'Hangul': the Korean alphabet created by King Sejong, organised by the Government of the Republic of Korea (Salle des actes, 7-11 September 2015) Exhibition: Education Transforms Booklet, and the Education for Sustainable Development Booklet prepared by the EFA Global Monitoring Report team (Foyer Room I) UNESCO publication stand (Foyer Room I) 6