The conference will host a number of key figures on the social, political, and religious arenas to share their insights on combating illiteracy and their possible contribution to the National Campaign for Literacy and the Renaissance of Egypt. All active members in the field of literacy and adult education have been invited to attend and participate, including civil society organizations, relevant ministries, private sector, revolutionary youth groups, governmental and international institutions, and UN organizations.   

The National Campaign for Literacy and the Renaissance of Egypt “Together We Can” was launched in September 2011 by UNESCO Cairo and Beirut Offices and relevant partners as a response to the growing number of illiterates at the national level, who are reported to exceed 17 million. UNESCO launched the Campaign as in integral part of its commitment to promote literacy and lifelong learning to all segments of society as a human right and a national duty. The Campaign aims to mobilize resources and build partnerships in order to accomplish goal 4 of Education for All (Dakar, 2000) which aims to achieve a 50% decrease in levels of adult literacy by 2015. The Campaign’s efforts will extend till 2020 to reach an internationally acceptable literacy rate below 10%.

The second conference for the National Campaign for Literacy and the Renaissance of Egypt will feature a brief on accomplishments achieved to date and a roadmap for the coming phase. The declaration resulting from the conference will pave the way to the future work of all partners and stakeholders in literacy and push the agenda of literacy in the right direction.