UNESCO Literacy Prize winners for 2008 are announced : Literacy projects in Brazil, Ethiopia, South Africa and Zambia have won the four UNESCO International Literacy Prizes* this year. The laureates were proclaimed by the Director-General of UNESCO, Koichiro Matsuura, on the recommendation of an international jury. A programme in Morocco and another from the British Broadcasting Corporation received an Honourable Mention.

The UNESCO International Reading Association Literacy Prize is awarded to the Curitiba City Councils programme- Alfabetizando com saude - (Brazil). This programme stands out for its success over the years and the genuine collaboration with and between the Health and Education Municipal bodies of the City of Curitiba.

The UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize goes to the Peoples Action Forum programme - Reflect and HIV/AIDS - (Zambia). Recognizing the potential of womens literacy in the prevention and treatment of diseases, particularly HIV and AIDS, the - Reflect and HIV/AIDS - programme is remarkable for its innovative cultural programmes in mother tongue languages used to reach rural women.

One of the two UNESCO Confucius Prizes for Literacy is attributed to Operation Upgrade (South Africa), for the -Kwanibela Project- continuing the Operations 40-year history of commitment and change. Its focus on rural women, HIV/AIDS awareness, family nutrition and income, as well as its promising results and innovative elements, provide a true model for other countries.

The other UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy is awarded to the Adult and Non-Formal Education Association in Ethiopia (ANFEAE) programme, - Literacy Plus - (Ethiopia), which exceeds simple literacy for rural women. Outstanding in its community-based approach to teaching business, conflict resolution and disease prevention, and for its writing workshops for the newly literate, it provides a model of innovation and self-sustainability.

The Honourable Mention of the UNESCO International Reading Association Literacy Prize is awarded to the Moroccan association Integration for its outstanding work with the visually impaired and blind. Its programme, -Reading Access for the Visually Impaired in Marrakech - is an exceptional contribution to the efforts of universalizing literacy.

The Honourable Mention of the UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize is awarded to the British Broadcasting Corporation Programme - BBC-RAW - (Reading and Writing) for its large-scale broadcasts providing an entertainment-led environment to teach reading and writing. The BBC is commended for taking the responsibility to serve the public interest.

The UNESCO International Literacy Prizes are awarded every year in recognition of excellence and innovation in literacy throughout the world. Complying with the United Nations Literacy Decade (UNLD) thematic calendar, the theme for this years Prizes was  -Literacy and Health - with a strong emphasis on epidemics and communicable diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis and malaria.

The award ceremony will take place on 8 September 2008 in Paris (France) on the occasion of the celebration of International Literacy Day.

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* The US $20,000 UNESCO International Reading Association Literacy Award was founded in 1979 thanks to the International Reading Association.
The US $20,000 King Sejong Literacy Prize was created in 1989 through the generosity of the Government of the Republic of Korea.
The US $20,000 UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy (composed of two awards) was established 2005 through the generosity of the Government of the Peoples Republic of China.

AuUNESCOPRESS–UNESCO Press Release No. 65-2008 (30-07-2008)