Promoting gender equality and literacy through local language publishing.

 

Room to Read, United States of America

Founded in 2000, Room to Read supports children in 29 countries through teacher training, libraries, and local-language publishing. Recipient of the 2011 UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy, it engages youth in developing culturally relevant content and works with local authors and educators to ensure authentic, home-language materials. This approach strengthens literacy, inclusion, and equitable learning outcomes. Since winning the award, Room to Read has expanded local-language books, reinforced teacher training, and increased accessible formats, including braille and sign language. Challenges remain, as many languages lack quality materials and teacher capacity requires ongoing support and partnerships.

On International Mother Language Day, Room to Read encourages educators, policymakers, and communities to recognize that children learn best when their languages are valued and used in the classroom.


“Investing in mother-tongue and multilingual education is not a compromise, it is a pathway to stronger literacy, greater inclusion, and more equitable education systems. Every child deserves the opportunity to learn in a language that connects school to home, culture, and identity.”






Location: 465 California St #1000, San Francisco, CA 94104, USA

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