The Literacy Revolution (2015 Event)

According to UNESCO, every region of the world during the last 20
years has seen gains in literacy rates, but the situation remains
highly uneven. To what extent can this improvement be attributed
to the urbanisation of populations across the world and the role
of libraries in the culture of cities? The panel includes: Sergio
Fajardo, one of the best-known political figures in Colombia who
as mayor of Medellin oversaw a highly successful campaign to
improve literacy in the city by placing libraries in downtrodden
and overlooked barrios; and Amina Shah, CEO of the Scottish
Library and Information Council who is a key figure in the future
of Scotland’s libraries. The event, recorded live at the
Edinburgh International Book Festival, is chaired by Jenny Niven,
Head of Literature, Languages and Publishing at Creative
Scotland. Presented in partnership with Theatrum Mundi.