Improving Policies in Adult and Lifelong Learning in the Asian Region: new directions, relevance and sustainability The UNESCO Institute for Education in co-operation with the National Literacy Mission of India and the UNESCO Delhi Office recently held an important Policy Dialogue on Adult and Lifelong Learning. The meeting, in which 18 countries from the Asian region participated, was hosted by the State Literacy Mission of the Government of Andhra Pradesh and held in Hyderabad on 07-10 April 2002. In accordance with the recommendations laid down by the 1997 Fifth International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA V) and the Dakar Framework of Action (2000), the policy dialogue sought to promote the exchange of ideas and information on how countries within the region have formulated adult and lifelong learning policies, put into effect programmes and practices in order to meet the basic learning needs and aspirations of adult women and men. An important landmark of the meeting was the release of  the   Hyderabad Statement on Adult and Lifelong Learning by the non'ble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Shri Chandrababu Naidu.