UNESCO Names Six Winners of 2026 International Literacy Prizes

Six literacy programmes from across the world have been named winners of the UNESCO International Literacy Prizes 2026, an award that has recognised significant contributions to literacy since 1967.

The recipients come from Colombia, Lebanon, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nigeria and Thailand. Their work covers a range of challenges, including multilingual education, displaced learners, out-of-school children and community-based learning.

King Sejong Literacy Prize

Three programmes were awarded the UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize.

In Colombia, the Escuelas LEO Programme, run by BibloRed, promotes reading, writing and learning across communities in Bogota. It reaches Indigenous people, migrants, displaced people and Deaf communities through multilingual and inclusive learning.

The Language Friendly School Programme in the Netherlands, run by the Rutu Foundation, encourages schools to recognise children's home languages and build a more inclusive learning environment.

Nigeria's Project PAL, or Primary Accelerated Literacy, supports out-of-school children, particularly those in conflict-affected areas of the Niger Delta, using learning centres to help them build basic literacy skills.

Confucius Prize for Literacy

Three more programmes received the UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy.

In Lebanon, the Alsama Project's Accelerated Education for Out-of-School Displaced Youth offers accelerated learning to young people who have missed years of formal education.

Mexico's Chiapas Puede works with communities in Chiapas, drawing on local and bilingual approaches to widen access to literacy.

In Thailand, Language for Life, based in Hat Yai, uses multilingual literacy methods and supports communities in areas linked to disaster preparedness and resilience.

Each of the six winners will receive a medal, a diploma and US$30,000.

The 2026 awards reflect how literacy efforts are addressing needs beyond basic reading and writing, reaching children outside school, displaced young people, multilingual communities and learners from varied backgrounds.