International Right to Read Literacy Conference, Dublin Castle

23rd September 2015

HRH Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands delivers a passionate keynote address

The international Right to Read Literacy Conference took place on the 23rd of September 2015 in Dublin Castle.

The conference was launched by Mr. Jimmy Deenihan, Minister of State for the Diaspora and H.R.H. Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands, UNESCO Special Envoy on Literacy for Development, delivered an inspiring keynote address which highlighted literacy as a basic human right.

In 2004 Princess Laurentien founded Stichting Lezen & Schrijven (Reading & Writing Foundation), which works both in the Netherlands and internationally to prevent illiteracy among children and to reduce it among adults.  In 2009 she became UNESCO’s Special Envoy on Literacy for Development worldwide and has served as Chair of the EU High Level Group of Experts on Literacy, which presented its findings in 2012.

Speakers at the conference included Mr. Aodhán O’Ríordáin, T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality and Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht; Ms. Leikny Haga Indergaard, Library Director, Bergen Public Library, Norway; Mr. Joseph Nugent, CEO, LGMA; Mr. Tom Coughlan, Chair, Libraries Development Committee and Chief Executive, Clare County Council; and Mr. Jason Vit, Communities and Local Areas, National Literacy Trust UK.

The Right to Read Campaign is a groundbreaking initiative to provide a national framework for literacy support and development which will be delivered to communities and individuals through all local authorities.

Right to Read complements and supports existing programmes and initiatives. It is delivered through a national framework managed by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government; Libraries Development, Local Government Management Agency (LGMA); and the local authorities, who will implement and maintain standardised literacy services and supportive environments to individuals and communities throughout the country.