Groups from Indonesia and Rwanda received the 23rd annual King Sejong Literacy Prize at an award ceremony held at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris on Thursday.

The prize, created in 1989, recognizes individuals and groups for their efforts to eradicate illiteracy. The prize is named in honor of King Sejong, who created Hangeul, the Korean writing system. The annual award ceremony is held two days before International Literacy Day.

Indonesia’s Directorate of Community Education Development was honored for improving the quality of literacy education through entrepreneurship literacy, reading culture and tutor training while Rwanda’s Pentecostal Church was recognized for its National Adult Literacy Program.

The Directorate of Community Education Development gave learning opportunities to more than 4 million people in Indonesia, 3 million of whom received government-authorized literacy certificates. The institution not only helped the group learn how to read and write, but also taught computer skills, readying them for the fast-developing IT world.

Rwanda’s “National Adult Literacy Program” focused on providing learning opportunities to women and teenagers who had dropped out of school. Through 3,500 learning centers, the program taught 100,000 people with an aim to teach human rights, reconciliation and peace-making.

More than 40 organizations and individuals from countries such as India, Jordan, China, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Philippines, Nigeria, Senegal and Ecuador have received the prize.

By Lee Hyun-jae, Intern reporter (lhj137@heraldcorp.com)