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02/04/2005:

"Cuba Says Illiteracy Must Be Eliminated"

Havana, Feb 2 (AIN) Cuba's Minister of Education Luis Ignacio Gomez said in Havana that the world has the obligation to respond to humanity's call for eradicating illiteracy as part of the fight for social justice and emancipation.

During the opening of the First World Congress on Literacy on Tuesday -attended by Cuban President Fidel Castro- Gomez noted that the world's 860 million adult illiterates surpasses the number of Internet visitors. He indicated that despite the technological advances illiteracy continues to be one of the main problems on Earth.

The Cuban Education Minister recalled that 15 years ago humanity made a commitment to reduce illiteracy but despite the commitments of many nations, the goal of 2015 will not be possible as experts predict that by that year over 800 million people will remain illiterate.

He pointed out that to transform this situation 8 billion dollars are needed for education or en equivalent of four days of military spending in the world.

Gomez noted that the United States spends 56 times more than that figure each year on its war machine, which he said shows the lack of a political will to help address a problem inherited from colonialism, imperialist exploitation and unequal exchange.
Full Article: periodico26.cu

Cuba willing to assist Latin America in literacy efforts
vnagency.com