EUROPE/ITALY - “Why is school instruction so fundamental? What are its social repercussions?” National San Vincenzo Literacy Campaign

Rome (Agenzia Fides) - The 2007 San Vincenzo de Paoli National Campaign will focus this year on Literacy. The aim is to identify the positive social repercussions of instruction for as many people as possible. If illiteracy, one of the principal causes of social exclusion, is eradicated, a series of positive circumstances can be created. Whereas illiterate people tend to be increasingly excluded, unable to find work and consequently to be a burden for society. More literacy would mean less delinquency, marginalisation, moral poverty and a better quality of life. The San Vincenzo Society is determined to work on this issue and to raise public awareness. On National Literacy Day on 23 September a series of meetings will be held in various Italian cities to discuss the situation and suggest ways and express a will to eradicate this social problem once and for all. Investing in instruction for others today means preparing a better future for all. This is the message of the Campaign 2007.
Initiatives include several Meetings: “Illiteracy: human and social evil ”, on 22 September at Genoa; “Education Emergency, income distribution, micro-crime”, in Rome 23 September; integration of ethnic minorities in the world of the school at Verona, 23 September and Cremona on 22 September. (AP) (13/9/2007 Agenzia Fides; Righe:27; Parole:281)