Brundi’s National Literacy Service and Mexico’s National Institute for the Education of Adults received the UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize on Thursday, the Culture Ministry said.

The UNESCO held the award ceremony in New Delhi this year in recognition of the Indian government’s contribution toward curbing illiteracy by cutting the illiteracy rate in the country to 30 percent from 40 percent in recent years, the ministry said.

Brundi’s program was recognized for an innovative approach to linking functional literacy to daily life ― helping adults, teenagers outside schools and the underprivileged to obtain knowledge and skills.

Mexico’s program was credited for reducing the illiteracy rate among indigenous people and women, helping them protect their human rights themselves, the ministry said. The number of participants jumped to 50,000 in 2011 from 944 in the initial year of 2007, it said.

Winners of the UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize will be invited by the Culture Ministry to Korea from Oct. 6 to Oct. 10 and have an opportunity to learn how King Sejong created Hangeul and experience Korea’s traditional culture.

By Kim Yoon-mi (yoonmi@heraldcorp.com)