UNESCO International Literacy Prizes Application and Nomination 2026 (With up to $30,000 in Prizes)

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About UNESCO International Literacy Prizes Application and Nomination

this program celebrates innovative literacy projects that empower communities and promote multilingual education, while offering both recognition and funding to scale their impact.

• Sponsor Organisation: UNESCO

Benefits of UNESCO International Literacy Prizes Application and Nomination

• UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy (3 awards)

  • Focus: functional literacy, technology-based solutions for rural adults and out-of-school youth.

  • Award: medal, diploma, and US$30,000.

• UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize (3 awards)

  • Focus: literacy development based on mother language.

  • Award: medal, diploma, and US$20,000.

Additional benefits:

• International recognition and visibility.

• Networking opportunities with literacy advocates.

• Prestige and influence in global literacy initiatives.

UNESCO International Literacy Prizes Application and Nomination Requirements

• Institutions, organizations and individuals promoting literacy through effective and innovative programmes.
• Programmes must be still in operation and have a proven record of innovative work in the field of literacy for at least 2 years.
• Programmes that have not been awarded the UNESCO International Literacy Prizes in the past five years.

Application Date and Process

• Before completing the application, you are invited to read about previous prize winners, noting points that make them distinctive and noteworthy
• You are encouraged to avoid jargon and wide generalisations to ensure that someone without your organization’s knowledge is able to understand.  You may ask an external to review your application before submission.
• You don’t need to explain or justify the value of literacy. The Prizes are about how to achieve effective literacy programmes and practices, not whether literacy is important.
• Please note:
  • the Prizes are not intended as a means to fund current programmes or proposed projects. They are also not intended as a means of funding research
  • the Prizes are not intended for programmes in early stages of ideation or development. They aim to reward programmes that have a proven record of implementation. (Please see the eligibility criteria: at least two years of operations)
  • any files or websites should be clearly named and titled.

Application Deadline

18 May, 2026

Opportunity Application

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