JULIAN LENNON HONOURED WITH WORLD LITERACY AWARD ALONG WITH UK CHARITY FOUNDER AND BRITISH DIGITAL LITERACY ACADEMIC

Julian Lennon (@JulianLennon) received the award today (8 Sep), on International Literacy Day, for his outstanding contribution to literacy along with UK winners, international projects and individuals who have contributed to literacy improvements around the world (@WorldLiteracy).

The awards were judged by a 16-strong panel which included writer, director, producer, Downton Abbey creator, Julian Fellowes, author and screenwriter Victoria Aveyard, Dr. Cree, the Chair of the World Literacy Council, and Tae Keller, author of the Newbery winning ‘When You Trap a Tiger’.

There were many worthy nominees and winners of interest, for their outstanding work in literacy, around the world. There were many worthy nominees and winners of interest, for their outstanding work in literacy, around the world.

Julian Lennon, the English-born singer / songwriter, filmmaker, author, photographer and humanitarian is recognised today for his philanthropic work as the founder of The White Feather Foundation. 

Through the work of The White Feather Foundation, judges deemed Lennon as having demonstrated exceptional and sustained depth in commitment to the advancement of literacy.

The announcement was made at the World Literacy Award online event hosted by the World Literacy Foundation. 

“With support from The World Literacy Foundation, children’s lives are transformed, creating a positive ripple effect worldwide. I am deeply grateful to be affiliated with this organisation and for the acknowledgement of my work with The White Feather Foundation as a recipient of this year’s World Literacy Awards.” Said Julian Lennon.

Read Easy UK founder and CEO Ginny Williams-Ellis also received an award today for her charity’s literacy work, on International Literacy Day, September 8 2021.

Virginia (Ginny) Williams-Ellis has won a World Literacy Award for their significant contribution to literacy by an Individual.

Ginny Williams-Ellis is a former literacy tutor and the founder and CEO of the UK charity “Read Easy” that provides free, confidential one-to-one reading coaching for adults from trained volunteers through locally-run affiliated volunteer groups. Since

2010, Read Easy UK, under the guidance of Virginia (Ginny), has grown from a 23 readers group to over 40 groups across the UK, helping more than 500 people a year to learn to read.

Andrew Kay, CEO of the World Literacy Foundation, said

“The World Literacy Awards put a spotlight on individuals and organisations who are innovative in the literacy sector and Julian’s exemplary work with The White Feather Foundation and The Cynthia Lennon Scholarship for Girls is such an inspiration, we are delighted to also honour great literacy work of Malaika in the DRC, Ready Easy’s founder Ginny Williams-Ellis and Professor Bronwen Thomas, in the UK.”

“The UK is showing some fantastic work in the advancement of literacy. We know the past 18 months have highlighted the need for communities to unite for literacy.”

BOURNEMOUTH UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR AND DIGITAL LEARNING RESEARCHER WINS RECOGNITION AT WORLD LITERACY AWARDS 2021  

Professor Bronwen Thomas received the award today, on International Literacy Day, for her Academic research work on literacy in the digital age.  

Bronwen Thomas is Professor of English and New Media at Bournemouth University and a Principal Investigator on several UK government funded projects exploring how digital technologies are transforming reading. She is the author of Literature and Social Media and is currently working on a Companion to Literary Media.    

Prof. Thomas is currently researching and exploring the impact of new digital technologies (e-readers, tablet computers etc.,) on readers and reading. She also investigates how readers use online spaces and social media to discuss their reading and interact with other readers,and how digital technologies may facilitate greater inclusivity and accessibility. The research involves working closely with a number of leading academics and stakeholders both in the UK and internationally.  

Prof. Thomas’s latest project – DRIVE – brings together academics, stakeholders and ordinary readers to explore how digital reading technologies can be used to address development challenges in Kenya. 

Prof.Thomas has taught on the Communication and Media degree at Bournemouth since 1996 and helped design BA English and MA English and Literary Media. Bronwen is Head of the Narrative, Culture and Community Research Centre, and was Head of Research and Professional Practice for the School of Journalism, English and Communication from 2014-17.   

Andrew Kay, CEO of the World Literacy Foundation says

“The World Literacy Awards put a spotlight on individuals and organisations who are innovative in the literacy sector. The digital age of learning was certainly advanced more rapidly by the pandemic and Professor Thomas’ research may prove invaluable for understanding how educators engage with digital learning platforms in future to achieve the best results for literacy and learning.”  

Julian Lennon and The White Feather Foundation

Julian Lennon is a Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter; global humanitarian, renowned fine-art photographer, award-winning documentarian and New York Times bestselling author. In 2020, Lennon was named a recipient of the UNESCO Center for Peace Cross-cultural & Peace Crafter Award for his humanitarian work through The White Feather Foundation. That same year, he Executive Produced the groundbreaking environmental documentary “Kiss the Ground,” currently streaming on Netflix. 

Established in 2007 by Julian Lennon, The White Feather Foundation brings awareness to worthy organizations by amplifying their voices, expanding their supporter communities and providing funding for their initiatives. This is achieved through the support of projects across the globe that foster education and good health; preserve Indigenous cultures; sustain our environment and give access to clean water for the conservation of life. 

The White Feather Foundation promotes and supports education, health, conservation, and Indigenous cultures through various projects worldwide. Lennon has written four books including the New York Times bestselling Touch the Earth trilogy for young children, and the forthcoming graphic novel, The Morning Tribe, for middle-grade kids, available this fall. Amongst his work to improve global literacy standards, Lennon set up The Cynthia Lennon Scholarship for Girls in honour of his late mother, and has so far awarded over 40 educational scholarships to girls across Africa and the U.S.  

Malaika, a life-changing nonprofit organisation in The Democratic Republic of the Congo 

Malaika has won a World Literacy Award for their significant contribution to literacy by an organisation. The announcement was made at the World Literacy Award online event hosted by the World Literacy Foundation.

Through the incredible work of founder Noëlla Coursaris Musunka judges deemed Malaika, a nonprofit organisation empowering girls and their communities in the DRC through education and health, as having demonstrated exceptional and sustained depth in commitment to the advancement of literacy.

Before Malaika, the village of Kalebuka in south-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo had no access to electricity, clean water, educational facilities or technology. Malaika’s community-driven model has been integral to the organisation’s success since its founding. Through a comprehensive, local approach, an entire village has undergone a transformative ripple effect.

Outside of the gates of the school, which educates 400 students, they are ensuring the entire community thrives.

The Malaika Community Center, opened in 2013 partially in partnership with FIFA, provides a hub of learning for over 5,000 youth and adults each year. The 21 wells Malaika has built or refurbished provide clean water to more than 32,000 people each year, and the agriculture program helps feed students and staff two nutritious meals each day.

From free literacy and vocational education to sports programs and regular access to the internet, Malaika is empowering lives from the ground up.

Andrew Kay, CEO of the World Literacy Foundation says

“The World Literacy Awards put a spotlight on people and organisations who are doing exemplary and innovative work in the literacy sector.”

“The pandemic has caused serious disruption in the lives of children learning to read and write, particularly those from low-income homes with limited access to books, education resources and online learning tools. Malaika’s exemplary work in changing the lives of thousands of young people, mainly girls, through education, skills and improved living conditions is awe-inspiring. 

“The judges were taken aback by the achievements and contributions to literacy by this organisation.” Added Andy Kay

It all starts with education: Malaika believes ‘an educated woman is more likely to give back to her community, to inspire others to attend school, and to cultivate a sense of independence among both her peers and the next generation’.

Malaika believes that this community-driven model can, and should, be adopted on the global stage.

“My message to every child, to every young girl, is this: take your opportunity, go to school. Educate yourself. Become pioneers of education and pioneers of Africa and the world.” Said Malaika founder, Noëlla Coursaris Musunka.

In her work as an international model, Noëlla’s passion is to model with meaning, using her profile to raise awareness for causes she believes in as a mother, a feminist, and a believer that it is an intrinsic human right to access education, health, and opportunity.

In 2007, Noëlla founded Malaika, a nonprofit grassroots organization that empowers Congolese girls and their communities through education and health programs. Malaika’s projects are impacting thousands of lives in the community of Kalebuka and in Congo and are all offered completely free of charge.

These include: a school that provides an accredited, holistic curriculum for 400 girls; a Community Center partially built in partnership with FIFA that provides education, health, and sports programs to over 5,000 youth and adults per year; clean water for over 32,000 people each year through the building and refurbishment of 21 wells.

Andrew Kay continued;

“The pandemic has caused serious disruption in the lives of children learning to read and write, particularly those from low-income homes with limited access to books, education resources and online learning tools.  Around the world so many children and young people need help in this fight against illiteracy. Literacy is the ticket to learning, opportunity and empowerment.”

Why literacy?  

Most people take literacy skills for granted but there are over 750 million illiterate people who cannot read a single word and more than 2 billion who struggle to read and write a sentence. 

Illiterate people experience difficulties with simple everyday tasks like reading the newspaper, understanding their bills, or filling in a job application. A lack of reading and writing skills results in the marginalization of low-skilled individuals from active participation in their communities and society

The World Literacy Foundation believes that literacy is the key to unlocking better opportunities in life and that every child deserves the opportunity to acquire literacy skills from an early age so they can enjoy lifelong learning.

How do we do it?

We provide free books and educational resources, so that children and young people can discover the joy of reading, the foundation to learn, to be independent and reach their full potential. 

• We provide free books and literacy support to disadvantaged children who are struggling to read.
• We bring together innovative technology, e-books, games, and locally curated content to advance the learning of children in remote communities in their mother tongue and English.
• We support families with literacy tips and resources so that a regular reading routine can be better established at home. 
• We gather literacy and educational leaders and organizations around the world to share ideas and collaborate within the sector.  
• We are a global voice to spread and promote the importance of literacy, we empower people to advocate in their local community for this cause.  

The World Literacy Foundation (WLF) is a global non-profit organization working to ensure that every young individual regardless of geographic location has the opportunity to acquire literacy skills to reach their full potential, succeed at school and beyond. 

We provide free access to quality education materials and innovative solutions that target wide-scale illiteracy.  

Since 2013, WLF has provided our support services in remote communities and disadvantaged areas in the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, South America, and Africa. 

In 2012 WLF began the World Literacy Summit at Oxford University, bringing together the global literacy community to build greater collaboration and partnerships. Due to its success, the summit was held again in 2014, 2018 and in 2020 we moved to a Covid-19 safe online conference.

In 2020 we distributed 91,037 books, provided our services 116,740 times to children and parents, and impacted 9.5 million people through mainstream media, advocacy events, and social media with our global message to help eradicate illiteracy by 2040.

The World Literacy Awards 

The Annual World Literacy Awards recognize individuals and organizations for their outstanding endeavors that promote literacy learning. The Judging Panel of 15 eminent leaders from across the globe includes literacy leaders, Nobel Literature Prize recipients, and award-winning authors. 

The Awards are an initiative of the World Literacy Foundation, a peak global literacy charity and the World Literacy Council.