PRESS CONFERENCE HELD IN BAKU
A group of conferee of the action titled “Addressing Literacy Challenges in Europe with a sub-regional focus: Building Partnerships and Promoting Innovative Approaches” being held in Baku briefed journalists May 14.
Misir Mardanov, Minister of Education of Azerbaijan, said the conference was organized under the auspices of the UNESCO and ISESCO Goodwill Ambassador, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Member of the Parliament Mehrban Aliyeva.
He notified these conferences held in various regions of the world to promote global literacy are part of the United Nations Literacy Decade (UNLD) and UNESCO support for literacy.
The idea of holding regional conferences in support of literacy was offered during the White House conference held September 2006 in New-York under the auspices of the United States’ First Lady and UNLD Honorary Ambassador Laura Bush, stressed Mr. Mardanov.
He added this conference will be useful in terms of fruitful cooperation between Azerbaijani educators and Western influential scientists, as well as developing mutual education related projects.
UNESCO Deputy Director General Nocolas Bernett expressed his gratitude to the First Lady of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva for organizing the conference on a high level.
The agenda of the conference is of great importance as there are approximately nine million illiterate people in the Central and Eastern Europe. Joint efforts must be taken to tackle this problem, said Mr. Bernett.