Ten Years of The Commonwealth of Learning
A celebration of achievement
Congratulations on your tenth anniversary !
from the Government of Canada
1999
From The Right Honourable Jean Chrétien, Prime Minister:
As Prime Minister of Canada I am very pleased to be part of this celebration of ten years of The Commonwealth of Learning. Harnessing the potential of the information highway is a key goal of our government. We see the Internet not only as a rapidly expanding market for business, but, above all, as a means for people - people everywhere - to achieve their individual dreams and potential through education and training. That is what The Commonwealth of Learning is all about and I am proud that Canada has played a role in its growth and development.
From The Honourable Lloyd Axworthy, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Government of Canada:
It is with great pleasure that I express to you and to the staff of the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) my sincere congratulations on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the organization.
Canada takes great pride in being the host country to such an important international organization not only because it enhances our country's excellence and world-renowned expertise in education, especially in the area of distance education, but also because of the values and objectives of co-operation and equity shared by all Canadians.
At a time when the world is increasingly interdependent and when new communication technologies connect all of us as never before, we remain confronted by the challenge of addressing the increasing disparities between the technology-rich and technology-poor countries. Moreover, the need to extend learning into all aspects of human resource development is now fundamental for all nations desiring not only to benefit from, but also to contribute to, a knowledge-based society. As nations, large and small, prepare themselves to meet the challenges of the new millennium, the activities of your organization have become even more relevant and essential than before. Since its inception, the Commonwealth of Learning has significantly increased the capacities of developing nations to meet the demands for greater and easier access to quality education and training.
I wish the Commonwealth of Learning the best of success in its future endeavours over the next ten years.
From The Honourable Diane Marleau, Minister for International Cooperation, Government of Canada:
I am pleased to send this message to the delegates and observers attending the first Pan Commonwealth Forum. This is a historic moment for the Commonwealth of Learning. As Canada was one of its initiators and founders, we take pride in COL's impressive accomplishments as it completes its first decade. We are gratified by the confidence and respect it has won in the Commonwealth and in the wider international community. COL has fulfilled the hopes and dreams of its founders by enabling thousands of the Commonwealth's citizens of all ages to gain access to education and to acquire skills and knowledge to lead creative and productive lives.
COL demonstrates what an international agency with a relatively small budget can achieve when it is led by a competent and dedicated team and when it works in partnership with its constituencies. More importantly, COL has revealed the promise and the potential of distance learning and new communications technologies in meeting the great challenges facing Commonwealth countries as they enter a new millennium.
The creation of the Commonwealth of Learning was an act of faith by its founders; but it is one that has been more than justified. Canada is committed firmly to working with other Commonwealth countries to provide the resources for COL's advancement as an enterprising and imaginative agency and as a leader in pursuing new and innovative ways to serve the peoples of the Commonwealth. I hope COL will move forward with boldness and vision and that it will continue to grow and flourish. I wish it well.
