The first generation of activities launched around this topic from 1996 to 2000 were centred around a socio-historical analysis of literacy policies, concepts and practices, guided by the attempt to understand both individual aquisition of literacy and the development of literate societies, with a perspective to inform current policies and practices. A meeting on the future of literacy held in UNESCO Paris in 1998, the consultation held in Berlin in July 1997 to prepare the Fifth Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA V) and the DSE programme for Promotion of Literate Societies in West Africa aiming at strengthening institutional capacities in local language publishing houses/NGOs were core activities of this phase. The recommendations made by CONFINTEA V and the orientations given in the context of the development of the UN Literacy Decade were influenced by the outcomes of these activities.

The pre-CONFINTEA meeting in Berlin (1997) aimed at the formulation of a policy statement concerning the role of literacy in social development and the directions that governments and other agencies should take in designing their literacy programmes. 

The workshop “The Making of Literate Societies Revisted” built on the foundations laid in 1997  and aimed at a better understanding of how specific projects/programmes and organizations contribute to the making of sustainable literate societies and how literacy is used as a social practice.
Three case studies were presented: 
- Associates in Research for Education and Development (ARED), Senegal
- Alfabetizacion Solidaria, Brazil
- ABET and Project Literacy,  South Africa

The meeting started with an overview on ”The roles of literacy practices in activities and institutions of developed and developing countries” and the presentation of an empirical study by the Centre of Research on Multilingualism of the University of Hamburg on the use of literacy in Bolivia and Uganda.

Subsequently, the three three case studies mentioned above were presented which showed how literate societies have been developed:
Senegal: ARED has helped the community to create an environment where literacy skills are used, by publishing books and by training communities how to use them. The example of the Pulaar community (which has become literate) was used to show that literacy must provide a link between language and culture and identity formation. Literacy must be a means to defend culture and promote language. This is a good example to show that there is a demand for reading material from newly-literates and how to get a community engaged in learning and creating literate communities and environments.
Brazil: Solidarity in Literacy Program. This study showed how formal structures can be mobilized to provide a nationwide literacy programme. The programme is characterized by a blend of partnerships between civil society, universities, private corporations, local municipalities and the state. It disposes of a strong advocacy and communication component and uses very innovative and motivational learning programmes with participatory methodologies. The increasing number of partners and the growing number of learners testified the success of this literacy endeavour using a revolving service approach to reach the poorest areas and the most deprived segments of the population.
South Africa:  The Training of Adult Educators by the University of South Africa. This example showed again how a formal structure - the University – takes an important role in literacy endeavours and in the training of literacy workers. The ABET training course starts from the supposition that there is no direct link between literacy and development and between literacy and livelihoods. For this reason the programme couples the training of adult educators with the development of capacities in social development. Among other things, trainees are exposed to various kinds of theoretical and social contexts to understand the types of problems communities are faced with. Continuous self reflection is encouraged through participatory methods and action research. In this way the ABET programme is able to deploy practitioners who are able to implement literacy programmes which are integrated into programmes for community development and income generation, food subsistence and health promotion. 

Further presentations:
World Bank: “Re-Engagement with Adults”. This was a presentation of a recent study conducted at the World Bank’s African Regional Department. It showed that basic education and literacy can not be separated. Both must be linked. Strong motivation and social supports are required to attain basic mastery of ABE’s core literacy skills.
IDEA (Institute for the Development of Adult Education, Switzerland): Presentation of a Literacy Method based on the ‘Text Pedagogy’ approach (TP). One central objective of this Institute is to improve the quality of education. The studies of IDEA are based on three interrelated aspects: a) psychological b) linguistical and c) the methods of teaching and learning a language. Based on theories of Vigotsky and Bakhtine the TP approach allows participants to use their oral language skills in order to turn to writing and to master language by working in both linguistic modalities. By using texts as an empirical entity, participants have the possibility to learn a diversity of texts that help to communicate and act in different spheres of human life. By initial use of texts in learning to write, participants understand the essential role of language for both, communicating with others and acting in the world.  

During the meeting, the participants analyzed the three case studies in working groups. Also, three other groups were created: One on literacy programmes, one on social institutions and practices and one on literate environment. 

The following points emerged from this five-day workshop:

Creating literate societies is a matter of long-term perspective
The programmes must be connected to the life contexts of the participants 
There is a need to create multiple paths to Lifelong Learning
The demand for creation of institutions which promote literacy is diffuse
Social institutions that require the use of literacy have to be created faster
Bridges between the different actors must be created
Partnerships should be created between educators, researchers and funding agencies
There is need for legal support, governments should be more involved
 

Next steps:

Governments should be invited to take a more active role in the development of literate societies
More studies on local materials and texts should be undertaken  
There is a need on research on financing activities and on relationships with the private sector  and civil society

The plan of a publication on the theme of the meeting was discussed.