As an empowerment right, education is the primary vehicle by which economically and socially marginalised adults and children can lift themselves out of poverty, and obtain the means to participate fully in their communities.
Koichiro MatsuuraRead
It is intolerable that around 1 in 5 of the world's adults are illiterate. How can we build equitable information societies or thriving democracies if so many remain without the basic tools of literacy?
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of literacy for building fair societies and functioning democracies.
Koichiro Matsuura highlights a significant global issue: a large portion of the adult population is illiterate, which poses a serious barrier to creating equitable information societies and thriving democracies. Literacy is foundational for participation in society, and the quote calls attention to the urgent need for educational initiatives to address this challenge, ensuring that everyone has access to the essential skills required to engage meaningfully in their communities and the political process.
Themes
LiteracyEducationDemocracyEquityInformation
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech advocating for educational reforms, this quote could be used to emphasize the need for increased literacy programs.
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