On March 22, 2021 some 375 participants from across the globe met in a virtual forum for the kick off event of the Adult Learning and Education (ALE) Campaign. With the tag line “We are ALE” the campaign represents, for the first time, an open alliance of ALE partners (Networks, associations and organizations) with the aim of making adult learning and education seen, understood and valued.

The ALE campaign is a Call to action to make ALE visible and valued as a significant part of the lifelong learning agenda and a critical component in attaining the sustainable development goals. This includes three key domains of learning and skills:  literacy and basic skills, continuing education and vocational skills, including liberal, popular and community education and citizenship skills, for youth and adults including the elderly. 

The International Council for Adult Education (ICAE) calls upon ALE advocates, organizations and practitioners globally to join this 5 year global action campaign to make our work as adult educators and our learners visible and increase the involvement and investment by government, donors, private sector, international organizations and social movements.

The time is now. The current global crisis shows us that much is at stake if ALE is not recognized and valued as a key area for continued investment even as so much of the world’s adult population has been negatively impacted by the ravishes of the COVID-19 pandemic and the concomitant overtake of technology on the way we live, work and socialize. All of this taking place within contexts of increasing uncertainty, and heightened tensions around issues of race, gender, and  governance to name a few. Adults will need to be learning news ways to live, work and to be. Only then can we think of achieving a sustainable future.

Join us in this ALE Campaign as we unite for justice, well-being and change!

You can watch the recording of the event here.

Shermaine Barrett, ICAE Vice-President for the Caribbean Region