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VALUE President Calvin Miles spoke on a panel of literacy experts at the United Nations on September 5, 2002. He said that adult learners can be important partners in creating strong literacy programs. He urged the field to listen to the voices of adult learners and to support organizations like VALUE. This panel was part of a day-long celebration of International Literacy Day.

Eleven adult learners also did readings during the luncheon that day. These learners had written about their experiences in New York City on September 11th last year. Their writings have been collected in a booklet titled "September 11, 2001: Student Writing from NYC Programs in English for Speakers of Other Languages." It is available from the Literacy Assistance Center at 32 Broadway, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10004.

Other adult learners came from Vermont and elsewhere to participate in the day’s activities.
A speaker from the World Bank, Dr. Birger Frederiksen, agreed with Calvin Miles’ message. Dr. Frederiksen stated that adult education planners need to respect learners, listen to what learners tell us, and focus on learners’ needs. This is important if we are to create effective basic education programs for adults. And these programs need to be a key part of any efforts to reduce poverty or deal with other problems (e.g., AIDS reduction) facing communities around the world.

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