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The second of six UNESCO regional conferences in support of global literacy takes place in Beijing, China, on July 31-August 1, 2007
July, 2007
UNESCO organized the second of six Regional Literacy Conferences, titled “Addressing Literacy Challenges in East Asia, South-East Asia and the Pacific: Building Partnerships and Promoting Innovative Approaches,” in Beijing, China, on July 31-August 1, 2007. U.S. First Lady Laura Bush spoke by means of a video-taped speech to participants at the conference opening ceremony. Other opening speakers included Chinese State Councilor Chen Zhili, Chinese Minister of Education Zhou Ji, Director-General of UNESCO Koïchiro Matsuura and Chairman of the UNESCO Executive Board Zhang Xinsheng.

Building on the work of the White House Conference on Global Literacy, UNESCO is hosting a series of regional conferences. Within the framework of the U.N. Literacy Decade and UNESCO's Literacy Initiative for Empowerment (LIFE), the regional conferences address literacy challenges specific to various regions. Organizers gather regional experiences, disseminate effective practices, create cooperation among stakeholders, mobilize partners and resources, and promote literacy.

The Beijing conference included the First Ladies of Indonesia and Mongolia, Education Ministers, decision-makers, representatives of civil society and universities, education professionals, members of bilateral and multilateral organizations assembled together to discuss literacy policies, strategies and programs. The conference will provide the opportunity to renew commitments in the fight to combat global illiteracy, while addressing region-specific hurtles to literacy such as the gender gap and multilingual literacy.

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