The Global Alliance for Literacy (GAL) is an initiative of the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL), focused on supporting efforts to tackle low literacy.

It is focused on the 29 countries of the world with either the highest shares of adults who lack these skills, or which have the highest absolute numbers of people in this situation.

IFLA is a Partner of the GAL, underlining the key role of libraries in achieving the Alliance’s goals, and will attend the 2022 Annual Meeting online.

This year’s focus is on bringing together the Marrakesh Framework for Action which resulted from the 7th International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA VII) earlier this year with the GAL strategy, as well as on efforts to build digital competences among literacy educators.

The event will also provide an opportunity to launch reports focused on meeting the literacy needs of displaced persons.

As set out in our reporting on CONFINTEA, the Marrakesh Framework for Action includes helpful references to the role of libraries in supporting literacy, while work is underway on IFLA Guidelines for Library Services to Displaced Persons.

We will make the most of our participation in the GAL meeting to underline these contributions, highlighting the importance of bringing libraries into policies and strategies for addressing low literacy from the earliest stage.