"Learning for Life in a Changing World"
International Experts Meeting: Literacy and Livelihoods
Monday, November 15 to Wednesday, November 17, 2004
Pan-Pacific Hotel, Vancouver, Canada
Organiser: Commonwealth of Learning (COL)
Opening keynote address by Sir John Daniel, President and CEO of COL:
9:00 a.m., Monday, November 15, 2004
Governor General Suite D, Pan Pacific Hotel
VANCOUVER - Thirty international experts in the field of improving literacy and the economic and social livelihoods of people living in developing countries will meet in Vancouver next week to work on designing distance education and technology programmes that can be used for this purpose.
Convened by the Commonwealth of Learning, an international intergovernmental organisation that is headquartered in Vancouver, the meeting will collect insights from a wide range expertise with representation from governments, development agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), international organisations and education institutions. COL intends to shape its programme activity for the next two to three years based on this consultation.
"COL is renewing its commitment to enhance literacy in the developing countries of the Commonwealth by establishing a programme area focussed on 'literacy and livelihoods', says Mr. Joshua Mallet, a Ghanaian education specialist who is currently posted at COL in Vancouver. "By 'livelihoods' we mean the ways by which a person can contribute to society and earn a living for themselves - often all someone needs to pull them out of poverty is to learn how to read and write and then pick up some basic training that they can apply to their benefit, such as trade, service or entrepreneurial skills."
The meeting will be facilitated by Dr. Glen Farrell, a former President of B.C.'s Open Learning Agency, who is now an international consultant in education and technology.
Sir John Daniel, who became COL's third President and CEO in June, will deliver the opening keynote address on Monday morning. Sir John is a former Vice Chancellor (President) of the U.K. Open University and came to COL from UNESCO where he was Assistant Director-General for Education and headed the global "Education for All" programme.
Other international experts attending the meeting include: Mr. Arvil V. Adams, Senior Advisor for Social Protection, The World Bank; Dr. Qian Tang, Executive Director, Education Sector, UNESCO; Mr. Patrick Maphorisa, Director, Non-Formal Education Department, Ministry of Education, Botswana; Dr. Nafisatu D. Muhammad, Executive Secretary, National Commission for Nomadic Education, Kaduna, Nigeria; Dr. John F. Morris, Senior Advisor, Education, Social Development, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA); Dr. Emma Kruse Vaai, Academic Director/Deputy CEO, Samoa Polytechnic, Samoa; Dr. K. Balasubramanian, Programme Director, JRD Tata Ecotechnology Centre, M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, India; Mr. Martin Pacheco, Executive Co-ordinator, Service Volunteered for All (SERVOL) Ltd., Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago; and His Excellency Professor Michael Omolewa, Ambassador, Nigerian Permanent Delegation to UNESCO.
The Commonwealth of Learning was created by Commonwealth Heads of Government to encourage the development and sharing of open learning and distance education knowledge, resources and technologies. The Commonwealth comprises 53 countries - most of which are developing nations - and one-quarter of the world's population.
Further information:
www.col.org/literacyandlivelihoods
www.col.org/jdaniel
www.col.org/ jmallet
www.col.org/about/#media
Mr. Joshua Mallet , Education Specialist, Literacy and Livelihoods
Or
Mr. Dave Wilson
Communications Manager
Commonwealth of Learning
www.col.org/dwilson