The first Annual Qatar Literacy Conference organised by Qatar University’s College of Education (CED) opened yesterday, with words of support and commitment to engage stakeholders in the shared responsibility of addressing the issue of literacy. The event, held in conjunction with the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), Bloomsbury Publishers Qatar, and the International Reading Association, drew a packed auditorium of over 300 teachers, educators, policymakers, and representatives from family and children’s institutions, and cultural centres. Several students were also present, along with their parents.“This conference is sending a strong message that we need to share the responsibility of increasing literacy rates and preparing our children to become engaged members of their communities,” said CED Dean Dr Hissa Sadiq.“We are pleased that the grant provided by MEPI to the research project conducted by the professional development specialists from the NCED served to engage teachers from independent schools in Doha on sound literacy practices. In turn, children will benefit considerably in Arabic and English literacy,” she said.Keynote speaker Co-Director of Power of Reading Project of the Center for Learning in Primary Education (CLPE) Olivia O’Sullivan talked about literacy and the UK experience, detailing the Power of Reading project, its strategies to engage teachers and students alike in the appreciation of reading, and its successes. She noted that at the beginning of the project year, only 16% of children were actively reading, and at the end of the project year, the number increased to 95%. Sakil Malik from the International Reading Association gave his keynote address on ‘The role of the teacher and teacher professional development – Effective reading for all: Focusing on the early grades in Qatar’. He pointed out that literacy rates have increased in Qatar with 2008 figures recording 84% literacy comprising 89.1% males and 88.6% females. In 1990, illiteracy rates in Qatar stood at 20% but came down by 4% in 2011.The conference agenda included workshops and discussion sessions on related topics of literacy in reading, writing, comprehension, and instruction. The day’s programme culminated in a roundtable discussion on ‘Literacy in Qatar: Challenges and opportunities’.Local, regional and international institutions represented at the conference included National Center for Educator Development, Moza bint Mohamed Preparatory School for Girls, Compass International School Doha, British Council Doha, Rabaa Secondary School for Girls, Al-Esraa Girls Primary Independent School, Aspire Academy for Sports Excellence, Hamad bin Abdullah bin Jassim Independent Secondary School for Boys, Aswaj Academy, Emirates College for Advanced Education UAE, and Appalachian State University USA.