6th International Conference "Literacies and Contemporary Society: From Skills to Practices"

In a world increasingly shaped by technology, environmental change and democratic challenges, these literacies are essential for empowering citizens to participate fully and responsibly in society.  

The Conference aims to bring together policymakers, educators, researchers and civil society to share practice and shape forward-looking strategies that will enrich education systems across Europe.

Agenda highlights

On 24 and 25 February 2026, the 6th International Conference "Literacy and Contemporary Society: From Skills to Practices" will be held, as part of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union (ΕU). The conference will be hosted at the “Filoxenia” Conference Centre in Lefkosia.

The 6th International Educational Conference "Literacy and Contemporary Society: From Skills to Practices" is organised by the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth of the Republic of Cyprus, through the Pedagogical Institute, in collaboration with the University of Cyprus, and is part of the official programme of actions of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU. The conference is co-funded by the EU. The conference focuses on highlighting new skills in the contemporary social, economic, political and cultural landscape and the meaning of the concept of "literacy" beyond the skill of understanding and using language.

This is an extremely important event, as more than 550 delegates will participate and over 200 scientific papers will be presented by academics, researchers, policy makers and education professionals from Cyprus and abroad. The dialogue expected to develop, and the practical and policy proposals expected to be formulated, will take as their starting point the multiple forms of literacy and the search for ways to cultivate and develop "literacy" in order to build competence through education.

The conference aims to contribute substantially to the overall dialogue on the skills required for equal social participation and the various forms of "literacy," with reference to the role of education in shaping inclusive, democratic and resilient societies. The conference proceedings include keynote speeches, parallel sessions, symposia and workshops, and will be conducted in Greek and English.

The conference will be opened by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Nikos Christodoulides. The Minister of Education, Sport and Youth, Dr Athena Michaelidou, will present the priorities for education in Cyprus, particularly in relation to the development of literate citizens in an inclusive framework that embraces diversity and takes into account environmental issues.

The purpose of the conference is, on the one hand, to create a space for dialogue on the various forms of “literacy” that emerge in contemporary social, economic, political and cultural conditions and, on the other hand, to offer a platform for submitting practical proposals for building "literacy competence" for the formation of literate citizens.