UNESCO International Literacy Prizes 2026 reward six impactful initiatives

UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize

The UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize, sponsored by the Government of the Republic of Korea, recognizes contributions to mother language-based literacy development. It is awarded to:

• The 'Escuelas LEO' Programme by the 'BibloRed' (Colombia)
  Launched in 2024 by BibloRed, an organization managed by Bogotá's Secretariat of Culture, Recreation and Sports, the programme provides intercultural and multilingual literacy opportunities for marginalized communities in Bogotá, including Indigenous Peoples, Deaf communities, migrants, displaced populations and LGBTIQ+ groups. It strengthens mother tongues while fostering intercultural dialogue and cultural identity through community-led learning approaches. It reaches hundreds of learners each year, with enrolments rising from 320 participants in 2024 to 443 in 2025, supporting literacy as a tool for inclusion, participation and social cohesion.
• The 'Language Friendly School' programme by the Rutu Foundation for Intercultural Multilingual Education (Kingdom of the Netherlands)
  Established in 2019, by the 'Rutu Foundation for Intercultural Multilingual Education', a Netherlands-based NGO promoting language rights and equitable education, the programme supports multilingual literacy by helping schools use learners' home languages alongside the language of instruction. Operating in around 70 schools across 12 countries, it has reached more than 32,000 students, since its launch through teacher training, school certification and community engagement. The programme promotes inclusive learning environments, improves learning outcomes and helps reduce educational inequalities through multilingual education.
• 'Project PAL' (Primary Accelerated Literacy) by the WAER Waters Charity Foundation (Nigeria)
  Launched in 2023, by the Waer Waters Charity Foundation, a Nigerian NGO addressing learning poverty among out-of-school children in conflict-affected areas of the Niger Delta, the programme provides foundational literacy to children who are out of school and have limited access to education. It combines solar-powered 'Literacy Hubs' for safe learning spaces, teaching in indigenous languages before transitioning to English, and a 'Teaching at the Right Level' approach that groups learners by ability. Between 2023 and 2025, the programme reached 8,500 learners, with 82% achieving functional literacy, helping children return to formal education while strengthening community ownership.

Each of the three UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize laureates will receive an endowment of US$ 30,000, a medal and a diploma.

UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy

The UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy, sponsored by the Government of the People's Republic of China, recognizes contributions to the promotion of literacy, including functional literacy, leveraging digital tools in support of adults in rural areas and out-of-school youth. It is awarded to:

• 'Accelerated Education for Out-of-school Displaced Youth in Lebanon' programme by the Alsama Project (Lebanon)
  Managed by the Alsama Project, a Beirut-based NGO founded in 2020, the programme provides accelerated education for out-of-school displaced youth with no or limited literacy skills in refugee camps and low-income communities. It compresses 12 years of schooling into six years, enabling learners to progress acquired foundational literacy and numeracy skills in six months through an intensive curriculum combining literacy, numeracy, languages and life skills. To date, the programme has educated more than 2,500 learners, creating pathways to further education, employment and civic participation.
• 'Chiapas Puede' State Literacy Programme by the Government of the State of Chiapas (Mexico)
  Established in 2024 by Government of the State of Chiapas, the programme delivers bilingual, culturally grounded literacy across all 121 municipalities of Chiapas, with a focus on historically marginalized communities, particularly women and Indigenous Peoples. The programme uses the Matías de Córdova pedagogical model, a phonics-based literacy approach adapted to the linguistic and cultural contexts of Chiapas. It combines face-to-face and digital learning, community-based study circles, and instruction in Spanish and Indigenous languages. The programme reaches more than 140,000 learners each year and aims to reduce the state's illiteracy rate from 13.7% to 4%.
• 'Language for Life: Multilingual Literacy for Disaster Communication and Community Resilience in Hat Yai Learning City' programme by Hat Yai City Municipality (Thailand)
  Running since 2016 by the Hat Yai City Municipality, the programme provides community-based multilingual literacy in English, Malay and Chinese, linking language learning to real-life needs such as disaster communication, environmental awareness and economic activities. Developed in partnership with the Prince of Songkla University, it uses flexible, learner-centred approaches to strengthen communication skills, resilience and social inclusion. Since its creation, the programme has reached hundreds of learners and continues to support multilingual communities in a disaster-prone context.

Each of the three UNESCO Confucius laureates will receive an endowment of US$ 30,000, a medal and a diploma.