The Literacy and Reading Section (LiR) made a commitment to support the Lyon Declaration (www.lyondeclaration.org) at the 2014 IFLA Conference. The Section is asking you to take this to your corner of the world by emailing/writing/contacting institutions, organisations and associations. At present signatories need to be from these bodies – personal signatures may come later. Institutions, organisations and associations you might target include:

·         schools, vocational education institutions, universities, private educational organisations;

·         other library associations (state/province, national), libraries (local, state/province, national), other educational associations, Parents & Friends groups;

·         other groups concerned with literacy, NGOs, indigenous groups;

·         cultural groups, arts, galleries, museums, archives;

·         publishers and distributors, book councils;

·         library systems developers, and distributors;

·         mining companies, small and large businesses; and

·         anyone else.

You can use the following as a template for your message.

Dear Colleagues/To Whom it may concern,

At the recent International Federation of School Libraries (IFLA) conference the Lyon Declaration on Access to Information and Development (www.lyondeclaration) was launched. This declaration calls on Member States of the United Nations to acknowledge that access to information, and the skills to use it effectively, are required for sustainable development.

 The Lyon Declaration outlines the need for access to information to be recognised in the United Nations post-2015 development framework. The framework will succeed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and set the agenda for development for the next decade. We urge your institution/organisation to sign the Declaration to support this motion.

 You can become part of this global movement and sign the Declaration by contacting IFLA’s Policy and Projects Officer, Julia Brungs. Include the:

·         full name of your organisation, and

·         name of your authorized signatory who can represent the organisation.

Please indicate whether you grant IFLA permission to publish the name of your organisation on the Lyon Declaration website.

 Many thanks in anticipation of your support. Only when everyone has the opportunity, literacy skills and ability to access information will sustainable development and the possibility of a truly global society become a reality.