Literacy, a tool of freedom
“Literacy is indeed a tool of freedom, vital for liberating us from ignorance, vital for empowering us to develop and apply our human capacities, vital for the exercise of democratic citizenship. This is why the lack of literacy among one in five of the world’s adults is such a shameful thing—not, let me add, for those lacking literacy skills but for the rest of us who take the practice and benefits of literacy for granted. We must do more to spread literacy; by doing so, we shall spread hope and opportunity, especially for women and the poor.” Koïchiro Matsuura, director-general of UNESCO, on the occasion of the launch of the United Nations Literacy Decade Photo taken by: Cedric Nunn/Oxfam of an adult learner participating in a literacy class with Operation Upgrade, ProLiteracy’s partner in South Africa .