Read about some of the events taking place all around the world in our Global Events round-up below.

To find out about events in the UK - read our press release.

To keep in touch with global events you can also do the following:

• Follow the Twitter feed of the Global Campaign for Education
• Take a look at the Campaign's photo gallery on Flickr (lots more photos will be added as events happen around the world)

Lebanon

In Lebanon, children as young as five years old have been submitting stories to national campaigners for the National Big Read event and some of those stories will be read aloud before leaders attending the event.

Mexico

In Mexico campaigners are drawing together stories of people whose lives have been affected by not knowing how to read and write. These stories will be integrated into the Mexican Big Read book and will be used during activities in global action week. Songs about literacy have been composed and will be sung. The coalition has sent out invitations to key personalities in various communities to be part of the Big Read.

Phillipines

Campaigners have laid out month-long plans starting with youth training and a series of Big Read sessions in schools in partnership with the Department of Education on March 27. These activities will culminate into the national Big Read event to be held in Manila on the 22nd of April. There will be simultaneous Big Read activities in the provinces of Benguet, Pampanga, Negros Occidental, Davao and Maguindanao, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, General Santos City, and Saranggani

Macedonia

A huge Big Read event takes place where local stories will be narrated by famous public figures from Macedonia.

Cambodia

Three major activities are planned. The Big Read campaign will be taken to as many schools as possible in Cambodia. Two hundred students will be given half a day’s training on the Big Read campaign and they will disseminate the activity in their schools and local communities. This activity will highlight the importance of literacy. Then there will be local community campaigns to be held in all provinces in the run up to action week and lastly there will be a national Big Read event in the national Olympic Stadium.

Spain

The Spanish campaigners have invited many people to read from the Big Read book and to add their signature to demand everyone’s right to literacy. Campaigners can also write and submit their own stories to add to the Big Read book.

Uruguay

The focus in Uruguay will be on linking the Big Read with an international conference on literacy, CONFINTEA, to influence the government to prioritise this issue. The national coalition will hold a joint seminar on April 24th with the Ministry of Education and Culture

Portugal

Schools throughout Portugal have registered to take part in national Big Read events. The national coalition is planning to deliver the Big Read storybook to the Portuguese President, the Prime Minister and the President of the national Assembly.

Ethiopia

In Ethiopia there is lobbying work with a group of people working on adult education and literacy. Big Read events will take place in local communities.

Laos

The national coalition has invited the Deputy Prime Minister to be part of the national Big Read event.

Vietnam

Vietnam has launched a nationwide essay writing competition to encourage people of all ages to submit stories about literacy and life long learning. Entries for the competitions must be in by 1st April and the winner will be announced at the National Big Read event on April 22nd.

Denmark

The Danish campaign will involve 185,000 students. They have encouraged students to write a speech on behalf of the prime minister helping him to ensure education for all children in the world. There will be a big event in the squares in front of the Parliament building on the 22nd of April at which the Prime Minister has been invited. Some of the best speeches written by the students will be read.

Canada

Lots of Canadian authors have got involved and contributed stories to the Big Read. Schools throughout Canada are taking part – by inviting their MPs into school, reading from the Big Read book and asking the Canadian government to do more to support education for all.

Guinea

Big Read events will take place in 5 centres around the country. So far, they are in the process of identifying the schools that will be involved in the event. Invitations have already been sent to politicians and celebrities to be part of the Big Read.

Greece

The Greek Coalition had prepared a Petition card which they have sent to schools together with the Story from Greece. Over 14,000 signatures are expected for the petition.

Armenia

The Armenian Coalition is translating the Big Read into Armenian and sending it to local schools and libraries. The Coalition has involved various civil society actors as well as inter-governmental organisations.

Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, the campaign has invited the Education Minister Susil Premajayantha among other government officials to be part of the Big Read activities in order to draw attention to literacy among the youth and adults. They have lined up a media campaign and a competition based on a mini drama script to emphasise lifelong learning.


Photo: © Karen Garvin/ActionAid