Description
I was rapporteur at this event.Questioning Europe, how we live together within its boundaries and who belongs are at the top of the national political agendas across Council of Europe and European Union countries. Building from their common origins to create peace after the second world war, the European Union and Council of Europe have maintained a vision of Europe based on democracy, Human Rights and the rule of law. Within this vision the Council of Europe have understood the Right to Education as the right of individuals to learn the democratic cultural competence to;
•“exercise and defend their democratic rights and responsibilities in society, to value diversity and to play an active part in democratic life, with a view to the promotion and protection of democracy and the rule of law.
•contribute to the building and defense of a universal culture of human rights in society, with a view to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms” (Council of Europe’s CM Recommendation 2010/7).”
The European Commission and Council of Europe have a multitude of education programmes that support mobility and exchange amongst young people that enable people from all backgrounds to experience diversity in Europe, learn to understand how Europe functions and to become actively involved in constructing its future.
However, the norms of European cooperation, democracy and Human rights and the vision of education in promoting them are now regularly questioned across Europe by an increasingly vocal nationalistic and populist voice. This has left practitioners in the field of Education for democratic citizenship and European education for democratic Citizenship and multipliers from different fields in a challenging and, at times, vulnerable position and in need of support.
In this context, a regular forum on Edu4Europe has been developed to support practitioners from the youth and education fields, researchers, policy makers, civil society organisations, and other entities involved in European democratic citizenship education. With the purpose to:
•give an overview on existing experiences and networks related to education for European democratic citizenship (EEDC); -
•offer a space for practitioners and active entities to discuss on meanings, dilemmas and practices on EEDC ;
•strengthen youth work through sharing practices from several fields on EEDC
•connect to policy and policy makers on EEDC, by bringing current issues, practices, needs and debates to their attention
The first addition, of the forum took place on the 19-21 November at the European Youth Centre of the Council of Europe, in Strasbourg, France with the specific aim to focus on Future visions of Europe.
200 practitioners came from across Europe to attend.
The forum is organized by the French Agency for Erasmus+ Youth and Sport in co-operation with the French Ministry of National Education and Youth, the EU-Council of Europe youth partnership, the Council of Europe, the German and Italian National Agencies (Jugend für Europa and Agenzia Nazionale per Giovani) and the SALTO South-East Europe resource centre.
| Period | 19 Nov 2019 → 21 Nov 2019 |
|---|---|
| Held at | Council of Europe , France |
| Degree of Recognition | International |