The Power of Andragogy/Adult Learning for Living a Viable Future

The Sixth UNESCO International World Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA VI) was hosted by the Government of Brazil in Belem, Para, from 1 to 4 December 2009. This working conference conducted interactively in an andragogical manner, provided an important platform for policy dialogue and advocacy on adult learning and non-formal education at the global level. Large and small group sessions on various topics contributed to the production of the final document - Belem Framework for Action: Harnessing the Power and Potential of Adult Learning and Education for a Viable Future. The conference brought together 1100 people from 144 UNESCO Member States, United Nations agencies, multi- and bi-lateral cooperation agencies, organization from Civil society, and private sector, and learner from all world region. I was a member of the official USA/UNESCO delegation to CONFINTEA VI. UNESCO holds one of these conferences somewhere around the globe once every 12 years. The real question is how and to what extent will the hope and expectation of implementing this Belem Framework for Action, as a guide for adult education and learning around the globe, be Enacted and Monitored in the area of Lifelong Learning, Adult Literacy, Policy, Governance, Financing, Participation - Inclusion and Equity, and Quality