The UNESCO International Literacy Prizes 2026 have been awarded to six programmes from around the world for their efforts to improve literacy and make learning more accessible.
The winners are from Colombia, Lebanon, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nigeria and Thailand. The programmes focus on different areas, including multilingual education, displaced learners, out-of-school children and community-based learning.
The UNESCO International Literacy Prizes have been given since 1967 to recognise programmes that have made an important contribution to literacy.
UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize
Three programmes received the UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize in 2026.
- Escuelas LEO Programme, Colombia: The programme, run by BibloRed, promotes reading, writing and learning among different communities in Bogota. It also supports Indigenous people, migrants, displaced people and Deaf communities through multilingual and inclusive learning.
- Language Friendly School Programme, Netherlands: Run by the Rutu Foundation, the programme encourages schools to recognise children's home languages and create a more inclusive learning environment.
- Project PAL, Nigeria: The Primary Accelerated Literacy programme supports out-of-school children, particularly those living in conflict-affected areas of the Niger Delta. It uses learning centres to help children develop basic literacy skills.
UNESCO Confucius Prize For Literacy
Three programmes were also honoured with the UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy.
- Accelerated Education for Out-of-School Displaced Youth, Lebanon: The Alsama Project provides accelerated learning opportunities to displaced young people who have missed years of formal education.
- Chiapas Puede, Mexico: This literacy programme works with communities in Chiapas and uses local and bilingual approaches to improve access to literacy.
- Language for Life, Thailand: The programme in Hat Yai uses multilingual literacy approaches and supports communities in areas related to disaster preparedness and resilience.
UNESCO Literacy Prizes 2026: Prize Money
Each of the six winners will receive a medal, diploma and US$30,000.
The 2026 awards highlight how literacy programmes are addressing challenges beyond basic reading and writing. Their work includes supporting children outside school, displaced young people, multilingual communities and learners from different backgrounds.
