UNESCO LITERACY PRIZES - BACKGROUND ON PRICES AND

UNCLAS PARIS 004390 SIPDIS FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SCUL CU CH UNESCO SUBJECT: UNESCO LITERACY PRIZES - BACKGROUND ON PRICES AND REF: PARIS 4296 ¶1. (U) The 2006 UNESCO Literacy Prize Winners were announced yesterday, 21 June 2006. The winners are: Cuba, Morocco, Pakistan, Rajastan (India),and Turkey. The prizes are expected to be presented on 8 September 2006, International Literacy Day. ¶2. (U) The UNESCO International Reading Association prize was awarded to Pakistan (National Commission for Human Development NCHD, for its National Literacy Program, which aims to increase the literacy ration by the year 2015 to meet EFA goals. ¶3. (U) One of the two UNESCO King Sejong Prizes was awarded to Turkey (Mother Child Education Foundation). The other UNESCO King Sejong Prize was awarded to Cuba (Youth and Adult Literacy and Education Chair of the Latin American and Caribbean Pedagogical Institute) for its work to advance individual and social potential through innovative teaching methods with successful outcome in 15 countries, notably in Ecuador and Venezuela. ¶4. (U) One of the two UNESCO Confucius Prizes was awarded to Morocco (Ministry of National Education). The other UNESCO Confucius Prize was awarded to Rajastan (India) (Directorate of Literacy and Continuing Education for its Useful Learning through Literacy and Continuing Education Program ¶5. (U) Prize winners are designated by the Director General on the recommendation of a jury, made up of least five persons of different nationalities appointed by the Director General for a minimum of three years. Mr. Shigeru Aoyagi and Ms. Namtip Aksornkook are the two education sector staff members who have been responsible for the program. ¶6. (U) Jury members for the International Reading Association, King Sejong and Confucius prizes: Alan Farstrup, (US) Choi Un Shil (Korea) Ghada Ragheb Al-Jabi (President) (Syria) Gorgui Sow (Senegal ) Mirian Masaquiza (Ecuador) Dong Jiang Song (China) new member added because of the Confucius prize ¶7. (SBU) According to a conversation with Alan Farstrup, the US member of the jury, 47 candidatures were reviewed, having been nominated by NGO's or National Commissions. He said that overall, they were of poor quality, with only six candidates really worth considering. One other candidate, an Africa project, was ruled out, as it had been nominated by Spain, and not by an NGO or National Commission, according to the prize rules. ¶8. (SBU) Farstrup indicated that there was a great deal of pressure from Ecuador to award a prize to Venezuela, but he was able to counter the push successfully. He said that the rules of procedure are questionable, and need to be looked at, regarding term limits, conflict of interest, and selection of candidate for prizes. ¶9. (SBU) As already reported, apparently at least two members of UNESCO's ED/BAS/LIT staff, pushed the prize nominations to the Director General's office without going through channels, which included Peter Smith, ADG, Education, and Jim Kulikowski. Oliver