Global Campaign for Education, an organisation championing the cause of the education for all by 2015, is celebrating the 2009 Action Week. This year's celebration is punctuated by a publication of a book entitled: 'The Big Read', from which participants will be reading as part of activities marking the Action Week (20th - 26th April 2009).

10 million people are expected to take part in The Big Read, to demand urgent action for the one in four women who are illiterate. Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Angelique Kidjo and Alice Walker and others have contributed stories to The Big Read. The book which composed of short stories about education, written by leading figures, Noble Peace Prize winners and award winning authors, aims at challenging the global education crisis, and it has been distributed in more than 100 countries, free of charge to children, parents and adult learners.  

All those that take part in The Big Read will add their name to a declaration demanding that all governments deliver a good quality and free public education. In The Gambia, the event will take place in May at The Gambia College. Stories and testimonies from Gambia's celebrities and learners are being presented against a backdrop of songs on the theme of adult literacy that have been written by trainee teachers. There will also be events taking place in literacy centres and schools across the country.

"Learning to read and write changes lives, it means jobs, money, health and dreams fulfilled", commented Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan, who is the honorary chair of Global Action Week, 2009.

"There are 774 million illiterate adults, 75 million children out of primary school and 226 million children not in secondary school," she said, adding: "Nearly all governments have promised 'Education for All by 2015, yet the current global financial crisis threatens to worsen the global situation and leave millions more without education".

Assibi Napoe, chair of the Global Campaign for Education, pointed out that "The world's poorest did not create this financial crisis, yet they stand to pay the highest price.  Budget squeezes in education are threatening to reverse progress made in recent years. We cannot allow illiteracy to rise. The rich world has a responsibility to education - one of the best investments the world can make to combat poverty. We are calling for $16 billion, a small fraction of the cost of the bank bailouts."

The Big Read is taking place across the world, in homes, schools, government buildings and public events. The first Big Read event took place in Johannesburg when Queen Rania, Simphiwe Dana, Basetsane Khumalo and Gcina Mhlope read their stories to children from Alexandra and Soweto, on 27th March. Other Big Read events are taking place across the continent.

The Gambia is putting together its own version of the Big Read book.  It will feature stories and testimonies by international and national celebrities and participants in literacy classes.