2019年「數字時代農村地區掃盲與技能開發」國際研討會和2019年聯合國教科文組織孔子掃盲獎頒獎典禮在中國山東省曲阜成功舉辦
2019年9月9日，聯合國教科文組織在巴黎總部慶祝「國際掃盲日」。為共同紀念「國際掃盲日」成立，中國於9月27日至28日在山東曲阜成功舉辦2019年「數字時代農村地區掃盲與技能開發」國際研討會及2019年聯合國教科文組織孔子掃盲獎頒獎典禮。
據教科文組織數據統計所提供的數據顯示，目前世界上有超過七億五千萬成年及青少年群體沒有讀寫能力，對文字處於零認知狀態的兒童群體數量達到兩億五千萬。而由聯合國教科文組織設立的一年一度「國際掃盲日」則可以提醒人們雖然全球日益發展，但創建文明社會所面臨的巨大挑戰依然存在。
此次國際研討會聚焦於「數字時代的農村掃盲與技能開發」。眾所周知，教育可以改善人們的生活，它也呼應了聯合國教科文組織所提倡的核心理念——即創建和平，消除貧困，走可持續發展道路。此次研討會參會人員人數約100人，其中近半數為女性。參會成員包括聯合國教科文組織中國政府長城獎學金獲得者、參與相關主題論壇的國內外專家學者、以及聯合國教科文組織孔子掃盲獎獲得者。
本次研討會由中國聯合國教科文組織全國委員會、山東省濟寧市人民政府、聯合國教科文組織國際農村教育研究與培訓中心所共同支持舉辦。
聯合國教科文組織駐華代表處教育項目官員裴伯庸（Robert Parua）先生代表聯合國教科文組織教育助理總幹事、聯合國教科文組織駐華代表處主任，及聯合國教科文組織總部掃盲與技能處致開幕辭並發表關於「終身學習2030可持續發展議程下掃盲與多語言教學」的主旨演講。裴伯庸先生在會議中強調以下幾個方面：1. 掃盲與生活技能學習2. 終身學習與2030可持續發展議程教育目標4. 聯合國可持續發展議程4.3、4.4、4.6目標中關於技能發展、成人教育、「貝倫行動」框架（Belem framework for Action）等問題。他還強調掃盲是促進可持續發展的關鍵引擎，其可活躍勞動力市場，改善人們身體健康及營養狀況，減少貧困並豐富人類社會生活。
2019年聯合國教科文組織國際孔子教育獎獲得者名單：
2019年度國際掃盲獎評選活動的主題是「掃盲和多語現象」。由國際評委會推薦，2019年聯合國教科文組織國際掃盲獎「孔子教育獎」獲得者名單如下：
哥倫比亞「學校工程」項目：「學校工程」是哥倫比亞的一個企業社會責任項目，由卡馬科·安提奧奎亞管理。卡馬科·安提奧奎亞是由建築行業400多家公司組成的非盈利財團卡馬科的一個區域分支機構，於2007年啟動了基於工作場所的靈活學習項目，該項目提高了4000多名教育程度有限或未接受教育的建築工人的基本識字和計算技能。
印度尼西亞「巴薩峇里維基」項目：來自印度尼西亞的「巴薩峇里維基」項目旨在改變人們的態度和行為，在官方語言和國際語言之外重視並採取行動強化本土語言。該項目由巴薩峇里組織管理，該組織是由多位峇里島內外的學者、政府官員、藝術家和社區成員組成的合作機構。該項目關注青年參與，尤其是年輕女性和女童的參與。
義大利「告訴我」項目：新諾貝爾殘疾人委員會是諾貝爾獎獲得者達裡奧·佛先生於1997年創立的非營利組織，目標是通過教育支持弱勢群體，尤其是殘疾人。2016年，該組織發起「告訴我」項目，旨在提高義大利、葡萄牙、西班牙和土耳其青年和成年移民的識字和計算能力。自2018年以來，超過100名移民受益。
第十四屆「聯合國教科文組織孔子掃盲獎」頒獎典禮27日晚在山東曲阜舉行。中國聯合國教科文組織全國委員會秘書長秦昌威、省委常委、常務副省長王書堅和聯合國教科文組織駐華代表處教育官裴伯庸在頒獎前致辭講話。市委書記、市人大常委會主任傅明先、中國聯合國教科文組織全國委員會秘書長秦昌威、和省委常委、常務副省長王書堅為獲獎機構代表頒獎。
聯合國教科文組織國際掃盲獎背景資料
2019年國際掃盲獎由中華人民共和國資助的「孔子掃盲獎」和大韓民國資助的「世宗大王掃盲獎」兩部分組成。自1967年起，聯合國教科文組織國際掃盲獎已經頒發給了485個掃盲領域的傑出貢獻者和創新者。這些項目和計劃由各國政府、非政府組織和個人發起，並因其出色發展成果得到廣泛認可和支持。聯合國教科文組織孔子掃盲獎於2005年由中國政府出資設立，旨在關注偏遠地區成人掃盲發展，促進失學青少年群體及女童和婦女群體的教育培養。孔子掃盲獎得主會獲得獎章、證書及2萬美元獎金。今年獎項獲得者分別來自哥倫比亞、印度尼西亞和義大利。
了解更多信息：
https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-international-literacy-prizes-and-literacy-day-celebrations-focus-multilingualism
UNESCO Literacy page:
https://en.unesco.org/themes/literacy
UNESCO Institute for Life long Learning:
http://uil.unesco.org/literacy
UNESCO Life long Learning page:
http://uil.unesco.org/lifelong-learning
UNESCO Institute of Statistics –Literacy Statistics:
http://uis.unesco.org/en/topic/literacy
China Celebrates 2019 International Day with the International Seminar in Literacy and Skills Development & 2019 UNESCO Confucius Literacy Prize Award Ceremony held in Qufu, People’s Republic of China
The 2019 UNESCO Confucius Literacy Prize Ceremony in Qufu coincided with the International Seminar on Literacy and Skills Development in Rural Areas in a Digital Age was held on 27-28 September, Qufu, Shandong Province, China.
The Seminar was organized as part of the global celebration of International Literacy Day, which was celebrated on 9 September 2019 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France.
According to UNESCO Institute of Statistics (UIS), globally, however, at least 750 million youth and adults still cannot read and write and 250 million children are failing to acquire basic literacy skills. The International Literacy day is held every year to remind the countries and stakeholders that we have still significant challenges in creating a literate society despite the progress made.
The theme of the China Seminar focused on 『Literacy and Skills Development』 in rural areas in a digital age. Education transforms lives and is at the heart of UNESCO’s mission to build peace, eradicate poverty and drive sustainable development. The Seminar was attended by about 100 participants of which almost half were women. The participants also were from the China UNESCO Great Wall Fellowship students. The various experts from China and abroad made presentations related to the theme of the International Seminar. The UNESCO Confucius Literacy Prize winners also made presentations at the Seminar highlighted the work of their institutions in promoting literacy and multi-lingualism. The International Literacy Day is held every year in 8 September to remind countries of the progress and challenges in eradication of illiteracy where we still have millions of adults and youth unable to read, write and count.
The event was supported and endorsed by the National Commission of the People’s Republic of China for UNESCO, Jining Peoples Government, Shandong Provincial Government, UNESCO International Research and Training Centre for Rural Education (INRULED), on the occasion of the Award Ceremony for the winners of the 2019 UNESCO Confucius Literacy Prize in Qufu in Jining, Shandong Province.
On behalf of the Assistant Director-General for Education and Representative and Director of UNESCO Beijing Office and the Literacy and Skills Section at UNESCO Headquarters, Mr. Robert Parua, Education Programme Specialist of UNESCO Beijing Office delivered opening remarks and gave a keynote presentation on Literacy and Multi-Lingual Education alignment with lifelong learning and education 2030 Agenda. Mr. Parua's remarks highlighted the alignment with Literacy and Life Skills, Lifelong learning and SDG4-Education 2030 Agenda and key issues reflected in APMED IV outcome document on SDG4.3, 4.4 and 4.6 related to skills development, adult education and Literacy and Belem framework for Action on Adult Education and Lifelong Learning. He stressed that literacy is a key driver for sustainable development in that it enables greater participation in the labour market; improved child and family health and nutrition; reduces poverty and expands life opportunities.
2019 Laureates of UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy:
The theme for this year’s UNESCO International Literacy Prizes focused on 「literacy and multilingualism」. Following the recommendations of an international jury, the winners of UNESCO International Literacy Prizes are
The Obras Escuela programme of Camacol Antioquia, the Colombian construction industry’s professional organization in the department of Antioquia, which provides flexible literacy learning in Spanish and English for building industry workers with limited, or no, previous schooling in the workplace.
BASAbali Wiki programme of Indonesia’s BASAbali group, a multimedia wiki dictionary initiative to preserve and value local languages alongside national and international tongues, through the engagement of people in Bali and abroad.
TELL ME - Theatre for Education and Literacy Learning of Migrants in Europe programme, managed by the Italian not-for-profit organization, Nuovo Comitato il Nobel per i Disabili from Italy. The initiative improves migrants』 literacy skills through a theatre-based teaching approach that uses storytelling in the learners』 mother language before moving gradually to learning the host countries language.
The award ceremony was held on 27 September 2019, in the presence of the Executive Vice Governor and Vice Governor of Shandong Province and senior education officials of Shandong Province, Jining Government and Qufu Government, Secretary-General of the China National Commission for UNESCO. Mr. Parua and the Executive Vice Governor of Shandong Province and Secretary-General of the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO gave brief congratulatory remarks before the awards were presented to the three winners. Mr. Qin Changwei, Secretary-General of the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO highlighted the remarkable progress made combating illiteracy and empowering youth and adults with skills, knowledge for Sustainable development and achieved universal basic education. The representatives from the award winning organizations gave very brief remarks at the award ceremony and acknowledged and thanked the Government of the People’s Republic of China, UNESCO and the Shandong Provincial Government for hospitality and support given during their stay in China.
Background Information on UNESCO International Literacy Prizes
Since 1967, UNESCO International Literacy Prizes have rewarded excellence and innovation in the field of literacy. Over 485 projects and programs undertaken by governments, non-governmental organizations and individuals around the world have been recognized. Through these prestigious Prizes, UNESCO seeks to support effective literacy practices and encourages the promotion of dynamic literate societies. The UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy was established in 2005, with the support of the Government of the People’s Republic of China. It considers literacy amongst adults in rural areas and out-of-school youth, particularly girls and women. Each of the three prizewinners receives a medal, a diploma and US$20.000 prize from UNESCO. This year’s 2019 Laureates were selected from institutions in Indonesia, Colombia and Italy on their successful work related promoting literacy and multi-linguicism.
https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-international-literacy-prizes-and-literacy-day-celebrations-focus-multilingualismhttps://en.unesco.org/themes/literacyUNESCO Institute for Life long Learning: http://uil.unesco.org/literacyUNESCO Life long Learning page: http://uil.unesco.org/lifelong-learningUNESCO Institute of Statistics –Literacy Statistics: http://uis.unesco.org/en/topic/literacy