October 28, 2005
UNESCO congratulates Venezuela on eradicating illiteracy
Published by Ecoportal.net

Message from the UNESCO's Director Koichiro Matsura

"Today, 28th October 2005, is a very successful milestone for Venezuela in its efforts to create a literate society. Venezuela has been declared 'Illiteracy Free Territory' and is making its most relevant contribution in our common course to Education for All. The success of the social programme Misión Robinson would not have been possible without political will and support from the highest level and, in this sense, President Chávez deserves the warmest congratulation.

One of the key aspects of Misión Robinson has been its ability to reach the population without discrimination based on gender, age, beliefs, physical disabilities, language or location. Venezuela has applied the full meaning of the word 'All'.

Many men and women, as well as teachers and students, have been involved in Misión Robinson since 2003 and deserve to be congratulated for their efforts. Based on the Cuban method called 'Yes, I can' and with the technical support from Cuban advisors, Misión Robinson has developed inside the context of the South/South co-operation. Through a method of quick access, the programme was able to reach many students in a very short period of time. I am sure that other countries in the region, and in other regions, will be interested in having more information about this.

Venezuela is making strong efforts in order to link the literacy process with the post-literacy process and lifetime education, through higher programmes of non-formal education: Misión Robinson II, Misión Ribas and Misión Sucre. These links are important because they help build and consolidate the achieved goals in this area. The effectiveness of literacy as a road to personal and social-economical development, depends on these consolidation efforts.

UNESCO considers Literacy for All as a vital dimension of Education for All. The UN decade for literacy (2002-2012), which is internationally co-ordinated and leaded by UNESCO, provides the global framework in which local efforts like Misión Robinson can contribute to the challenge of world literacy. The most valuable work, however, is the one done nationally and locally.

Today, Venezuela must be congratulated for the renewed strength in its efforts towards literacy issues, which show how much can be done when societies are active in trying to achieve educational goals. This is an example of national commitment that I wish will inspire others to speed up their actions in order to free their countries, and the world in general, from the scourge of illiteracy.

On this special day, I express my best wishes to the people and the government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and I exhort them to embrace other educational challenges with the same energy and commitment'.