Minister Marian Harkin congratulates the National Adult Literacy Agency on winning UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy
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From: Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
- Published on: 11 September 2025
- Last updated on: 25 September 2025
The Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, with responsibility for Adult Literacy, Marian Harkin, has warmly congratulated the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA) on being awarded the UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy 2025.
The award was presented yesterday evening at a special ceremony in Paris, where NALA’s Learn with NALA eLearning platform was recognised as one of six global winners of the prestigious UNESCO International Literacy Prizes.
Speaking after the announcement, Minister Harkin said:
“I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to everyone at the National Adult Literacy Agency for this extraordinary achievement. Winning the UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy is not only a testament to the innovation and impact of the Learn with NALA platform, but also to decades of dedication by NALA’s team, learners and partners. NALA is a key partner in driving Government’s 10-year Adult Literacy for Life Strategy, an ambitious plan to reduce the number of adults in Ireland with unmet literacy needs from 18% to 7%."
Minister Harkin highlighted the importance of literacy in unlocking potential, supporting social inclusion and building stronger communities:
“Literacy is about more than reading and writing – it is about empowerment, opportunity and dignity. The Learn with NALA service embodies these values by offering flexible, accessible and learner-centred education. I am deeply proud that an Irish organisation has been recognised internationally for such vital work in supporting adults and young people who face literacy challenges.”
Notes
NALA received one of three UNESCO Confucius Prizes for Literacy, which were established in 2005 with the support of the Government of the People’s Republic of China. These awards focus on literacy programmes that harness technology to promote functional literacy, particularly among adults in rural areas and out-of-school youth.
Since 1967, UNESCO International Literacy Prizes have celebrated excellence and innovation in literacy worldwide.
Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) is a 10-year cross-government strategy with a national programme office in SOLAS that drives its implementation. Launched in 2021, the strategy sets out a cross government, cross-economy and cross-society approach to achieve the vision of an Ireland where every adult has the necessary literacy, numeracy, and digital literacy to engage in society and realise their potential.
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