JOINT PRESS RELEASE: MoEYS and UNESCO Highlight the Role of Literacy in Building an Inclusive and Equitable Cambodia on National Literacy Day

The event was chaired by His Excellency Dr Hang Chuon Naron, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Youth and Sport, and attended by approximately 1,600 participants, including national and subnational level government officials, development partners, teachers, students and members of the public. An exhibition of student and community work, and a poem recited by Sev Seak, a Grade 8 student from the Jaray ethic group and national literacy prize laureate of Ratanakiri, opened the event.

In his remarks, His Excellency Dr Hang Chuon Naron set out four priorities for translating this year's theme into practice: strengthening the quality of literacy provision, promoting inclusive literacy for disadvantaged and out-of-school groups, developing digital literacy alongside lifelong learning, and deepening partnerships across government, development partners and communities. He also conveyed a message from Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, calling on ministries, local authorities, employers and the media to expand literacy and lifelong learning opportunities for children, out-of-school youth, workers, rural populations, indigenous peoples, and persons with disabilities, so that no one is left behind.