LITERACY AND MULTICULTURALISM

The International Literacy Day takes place every year at UNESCO Head Quarters since 1967, and nowadays all around the world.
Its main objective is the for literacy in policies and practice in order to achieve inclusion in multilingual contexts.

On the occasion of this International Day 5 laureates, according to the 5 UNESCO Regions, receive either the UNESCO – King Sejong Prize or the UNESCO-Confucius Prize: Algeria, Colombia, Indonesia, Italy, Senegal.

The UNESCO-KING SEJONG Prize is supported since 1989 by the Republic of Korea for “development and use of mother tongue in literacy, education and training “.
The UNESCO-CONFUCIUS Prize is supported by the Government of the People’s Republic of China since 2005, awarding programs that benefit rural populations and out – of – school youth, particularly for girls and women.

In the message of the Director General of UNESCO, Ms Audray AZOULAY, we can read: “Embracing linguistic diversity in education and literacy development is therefore a key part of developing inclusive societies that respect ‘diversity’ and ‘difference’ implementing human dignity”.

Four panels took place at UNESCO HQ before the Official Ceremony for the five laureates

THE CONFERENCE

Two moments celebrated the International Literacy Day at UNESCO Headquarters.
The first moment was devoted to an important Conference with four high level panels on “Literacy and Multilingualism”.

The Conference aimed to rethink literacy in formation and the importance of mother tongue in early childhood (1). 7000 languages are spoken all around the world but 2680 of them could disappear very soon, what is a crucial matter since mother tongue allows every one to better understand the concepts.

Ms Stefania GIANNINI, Assistant Director General for the Education sector, said to the audience that “The relationship between globalization, digitalization and languages is paradoxical” … but “The reality today is that about two in three children grow up in multilingual context” … “We must counter for multiculturalism to flourish through concrete policies – within and beyond the Education sector”.

So, the four panels of the Conference delivered speeches around Literacy and Multilingualism to promoting and safeguarding languages diversity at the three levels : local, national and international languages.
Each one of the four panels aimed to focus on a crucial point of the theme :

• Panel 1 – Global landscape of “Literacy and Multilingualism” in Trends and Issues.
• Panel 2 – “Literacy and Multilingualism” in today’s globzlized world.
• Panel 3 – “Literacy and Multilingualism” and Inclusion.
• Panel 4 – Building more conducive environment and effective partnerships.

The conclusion was that literacy has to be urgently linked with multilingualism for the benefit of all in our world.

How could ISOCARP and ISOCARP members contribute in this issue towards “Cities we need” vs “Cities we have” ?

OFFICIAL CEREMONY FOR THE LAUREATES

According to UNESCO’s criteria, relating to the Regions of the world, 5 laureates coming from 5 different countries were awarded:
From Africa : Senegal
From Arab States : Algeria
From Asia and the Pacific : Indonesia
From Caribbean & Latin America : Colombia
From Europe & North America : Italy

Two of them received the UNESCO-KING SEJONG Prize, the three others the UNESCO-CONFUCIUS Prize.
UNESCO-KING SEJONG PRIZE ALGERIA, SENEGAL
UNESCO-CONFUCIUS PRIZE
COLOMBIA, INDONESIA, ITALY

The Official Ceremony was presided by the UNESCO Assistant Director General for Education Ms Stefania GIANNINI.

ALGERIA

The “National Office of Literacy and Education for Adults” received the prize for its “National Strategy for Multilingual Literacy Program”.
Following the adoption of Tamazight as official national language with Arabic, the Office launched in 2016 a Literacy course for adults during 18 months both in the two languages.
The people speaking Tamazight as their mother tongue have literacy course in that tongue. So, this gives them the opportunity of a better access to Arabic language.
In the same time, Arabic speakers are encouraged to learn Tamazight.
Then they will be able to follow courses for specialization through distance education.

SENEGAL

“Textile Fibres and Development Company” won the Prize for its Literacy and Vocational Program in Rural Senegal.
Since 1982 literacy courses can be attended by the farmers in Southern Senegal using the three national languages : Pulaar, Mandingue and Wolof, which constitutes a multilingual approach that creates a literate environment for the farmers.
Special Training Teachers strengthen their methodologies and knowledge through annual seminars. They provide the farmers technical and professional skills. 25% of the farmers are women, which constitutes, in addition, a way to promote gender equality in the rural areas.

COLOMBIA

“Obras Escuela” in Carmacol Antioquia was awarded for its Literacy Program in the construction sector. From 2007, 400 active companies regularly meet the workers.
Knowing every kind of workers’ needs is basic to help them to “face daily difficulties due to a lack of literacy” said the Director of the Company.
Courses are provided in Spanish mother tongue and in English. By the way Carmacol Antioquia is building self esteem for the workers. And the program aims to teach to different kinds of population such as Indigenous people, displaced persons or victims of violence.
By the way, cities can be more livable and sustainable, if it is possible to avoid unwished migrations by creating or strengthening the link between rural and urban people.

INDONESIA

BASAbali Wiki, implemented in Bali (Indonesia), received the UNESCO-CONFUCIUS Prize for its Literacy Program conducted in the three languages : Balinese, Indonesian and English.
The association BASAbali Wiki wants to promote Multilingualism for young and children, particularly girls, women and out-of-school people, for a better future.
So, the trainees are helped by teachers on line to translate and publish their texts into the two other languages.
To be a more attractive program for young and children, it is proposed them to write the adventures of a hero imaginated by themselves. Then the teachers help them to translate the story into the two other languages.
In 5 years, half a million people followed the Program, so it will be extended to other regions.

ITALY

The “Nuovo Comitato il Nobel for Disabily” (4) in Italy was awarded for its program “Tell Me” implemented in 1997. Since three years it focuses on the migrants. “Tell Me” is the acronym for “Theatre for Education and Literacy Learning of Migrants in Europe”.
Besides their native language, Italy, but also Portugal, Spain and Turkey, aim social inclusion of young and adults migrants by giving priority in learning in the host country language for those new European Citizens, providing more security for a foreigner.
The theatre appears as a good mean for exchanging experiences and creating a link between the people and their cultures. An e-learning platform is used by the teachers.

To close this Official Prize Award Ceremony, Assistant Director General for Education, Ms Stefania GIANNINI said to the laureates :: “I hope that your programs and initiatives we reward today will create a positive chain of action to make our world more literate and inclusive, blessed by diversity”.

After the Annual Congress in Indonesia awarded with the UNESCO-CONFUCIUS Prize 2019, how could ISOCARP and ISOCARP members promote some information or action to be translated into local, national or international languages, such as BASAbali Wiki does, in a view of a better access to information and knowledge on planning  (urban and regional) all around the world?

ILD UNESCO REPORT CONCLUSION AND NOTES

Those actions linking Literacy with Multilingualism show us, if it was necessary, the importance of learning and speaking in the mother tongue, but also in two or three national and international languages, due to the fact of mobility from one place to another one in the same country, from a country to a different one, even from a region or a continent to another one.

Conference and Award Ceremony are also linked with “2019 International Year for Indigenous Languages”.
“Since information and knowledge are key determinants of wealth creation, social transformation and human development, language is a primary vector for communicating information and knowledge”.
Linguistic diversity and Multilingualism have to be present on the Internet. “Thus the opportunity to use one’s language on the Internet will determine the extend to which one can participate in emerging knowledge societies”.

The International Literacy Day is also linked with the “Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education” adopted in 1994 in Spain.
The Statement encourages an inclusive approach for Education, particularly for the children who have special needs. “Schools for Everyone” will be the moto for educational policies.

ISOCARP is working for inclusive and resilient cities. Indigenous peoples are present in 90 different countries all around the world and some ISOCARP actions or activities, such as UPATs or Annual Congresses, are regularly implemented in some of those countries.
How could ISOCARP and ISOCARP members contribute to promote “2019 International Year for Indigenous Languages” for the benefit of cultural linguistic diversity and excellence for planning?

Wide Program to inspire action and activities!

Notes
(1) 9 SEPTEMBER 2019 : The International Literacy Day took place at the moment of the Opening ceremony of ISOCARP Congress in Jakarta and, on the same day the Indonesian association BASAbali received the UNESCO-CONFUCIUS PRIZE.
(2) Mother tongue : a challenge for better learning and understanding the concepts. On the occasion of the First International Day of the Mother Tongue in 2009 ISOCARP published a booklet on the matter (Hari BARAL, Dany BOSOM, Janine MARIN, Iana ZBAR) that was distributed during the ICNGO and published on the devoted UNESCO website.
(3) SECOND PART: Reminder SDG 11 “Sustainable Cities and Communities” Countries have pledged to “make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”
(4) INDONESIA UNESCO-CONFUCIUS Prize : As an ISOCARP Representative near UNESCO, I sent a brief message of congratulations to Indonesia to be read during the Opening Ceremony of ISOCARP Congress, for an Indonesian association to have been chosen for this prestigious Prize.
(5) ITALY : “New Nobel Committee for People with Disabilities”

Janine Marin
ISOCARP
Knowledge for Better Cities
ISOCARP Representative to UNESCO