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Issue #43

September 2005

International Literacy Day & Adult Learners' Week

International Literacy Day, September 8, was the first day of International Adult Learners' Week, September 8-14. The theme of this year's celebration was Building Sustainable Communities.

UNESCO proclaims that "education is a fundamental human right and is closely tied to the empowerment of all peoples of the world. Yet today, close to 800 million adults have not had the opportunity to learn to read or write. Literacy, education, social development, and environmental protection are essential elements of a society where all people can play active roles in the lives of their communities. "

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IALW focuses on learning throughout life for all adults, based on four pillars: Learning to know, Learning to do, Learning to live together, and Learning to be. Adult learning opens doors, explores new frontiers and points the way to becoming full and active citizens. Learning empowers us all as members of society.

Whether we are working to upgrade basic skills, pursuing advanced education, or seeking new horizons through informal learning, we are all lifelong learners— learning is a journey, not a destination.

Literacy Action Day

Literacy Action Day is Thursday October 27, 2005, a day when literacy students, volunteer tutors, literacy practitioners and advocates from across the country gather on Parliament Hill in Ottawa to raise awareness of literacy.

The focus of this year’s Literacy Action Day is a 10-year Literacy Action Plan to be advanced by Minister Claudette Bradshaw. Minister Bradshaw spent the summer traveling across Canada speaking to literacy groups and students. Her goal was to collect the community’s input on literacy challenges and solutions, to help her in designing a comprehensive federal literacy strategy. Wherever Minister Bradshaw went, she asked that the community follow up the discussions by sending letters or briefs.

Seven national literacy organizations have been working hard to provide the Minister with a concrete plan for literacy that she can use to formulate a Memorandum to Cabinet. She will deliver her plan to the federal cabinet in early November.

If you want to help, you can write a letter to our MP Cheryl Gallant, asking her to support this plan. For key ideas to include, you can e-mail "Debra Huron" dhuron@laubach.ca, Laubach's Communications and Liaison Officer.