Education systems today face two major challenges: expanding the reach of education and improving its quality. Traditional solutions will not suffice, especially in the context of todays knowledge-intensive societies. The goal of the Open Educational Resources (OER) movement is to equalize access to knowledge worldwide through openly and freely available online high quality content. UNESCO has contributed to building global awareness about this movement by facilitating an extended conversation in cyberspace. Over a two-year period, a large and diverse international community discussed the concept and potential of OER in a series of online forums. The background papers and reports are now available in print, and provide food for thought for all those intrigued by OER its promise and its progress.