HRH Princess Laurentien has been active in promoting literacy since 2001. Stichting Lezen & Schrijven (the Reading and Writing Foundation) was set up on her initiative in May 2004 to prevent and reduce functional illiteracy. In 2009 Princess Laurentien was designated UNESCO Special Envoy on Literacy for Development. In this capacity, she acts as an advocate for the cause of literacy all over the world. In February 2011 the Princess was appointed Chair of the European Commission’s High Level Group of Experts on Literacy. The Group published its Final Report in September 2012. In November 2017 Princess Laurentien resigned as honorary chair of Stichting Lezen & Schrijven, but she continues to closely follow issues surrounding illiteracy in the Netherlands and abroad through her UNESCO role.