Every year, communities around the world come together to celebrate International Literacy Week (ILW). This day, established by UNESCO in 1967, is dedicated to promoting the importance of literacy as a tool for empowering individuals and building more inclusive societies.
Climate change presents unprecedented challenges globally, with Southern Africa being particularly vulnerable due to its economic and environmental dependencies on natural resources. However, adult learning and education (ALE) is perceived as a vital element in terms of building resilience and equipping communities with the skills and knowledge needed to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change.
In a recent interview with ELM Magazine, Uwe Gartenschlaeger, Director of DVV International and President of the European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA), talks about the crucial role of adult education for societies and the current challenges facing the sector.
In the picturesque setting of Sri Lanka, a transformative seminar unfolded, introducing the Adult Learning and Education System Building Approach (ALESBA) as a powerful tool for building sustainable ALE systems in Asia. The ALESBA seminar, hosted this summer by DVV International’s office in Sri Lanka, welcomed representatives from DVV International and its partner organisations in Asia. ALESBA is piloted as part of the Asia regional project in Laos, Sri Lanka, Kyrgyzstan, and Jordan.
Frankfurt am Main is one of the most dynamic and most international cities in Germany; its citizens are connected to more than 180 different nations and the influence of diverse cultures and lifestyles. The city has set itself the task of recognising this diversity as a strength and using it as a locational advantage. But for this to succeed, intercultural understanding and appreciation of diversity must be both supported and required daily in the ‘melting pot’ on the River Main. The Frankfurt Adult Education Centre (Volkshochschule – vhs) has created its own range of offers for this purpose.
The Mexican state of Chiapas, located close to the Guatemalan border, is a territory of cross-border mobility, with growing intra-regional, national and international migration. In recent years, it has become a migratory transit area for Central Americans and Haitians, who go to other Mexican states and to the United States in search of better work and economic opportunities that allow them to support their families, escaping gang violence, persecution and seeking protection from organised crime. In 2021, DVV International and the Secretariat for Gender Equality (SEIGEN) began their cooperation with the signing of an inter-institutional framework agreement that aims to develop a system of education and training for people who live and transit through this cross-border region.
![[Translate to English:] A colourful flyer for the Volkshochschule Frankfurt am Main. Seven people smiling and posing together. A speech bubble reads ‘Frankfurt celebrates diversity’. In the background are balloons and stylised symbols. At the bottom right it says ‘Spring/Summer 2024’.](/fileadmin/_processed_/9/0/csm_Frankfurt_Cover_Schwerpunkt_eb29baa9a3.jpg)
