GCE is getting more and more central in the educational policy debate and in academia .
The high number of events, to which Global Schools has participated, in the last two months in Italy and in Europe (Bologna, London, Ancona and Rome) is a tangible representation of this.
1. Education for Global Citizenship and Sustainable Development
On 8-9 May the University of Bologna , together with and the Italian Ministry of Education and Research , Observatory Magna Charta and the Conference of Italian University Rectors , organized an international conference where both important scholars in GCE and key actors of Global Education Network Europe (GENE) and UNESCO were present. Some important highlights are:
- Next UNESCO forum in 2019 will focus on GCE in primary schools and in vulnerable contexts ;
- University of Bologna will launch a Manifesto on GCE ;
- A research Centre on GCE at Unibo has been established.
2. Conference: Research, evidence and policy learning for global education
On May, 10-11, in London the Development Education Research Centre (DERC) of UCL-IOE, in collaboration with the GENE , organized a conference:
- To debate on the international state of the art of research on GCE;
- To launch the international Academic Network on Global Education and Learning . This network is aims to overcome the lack of coordination among scholars , to promote and enhance research on GCE and to reinforce the multi-stakeholders approach of GCE strengthening the role of University.
3. Educazione alla Cittadinanza Globale. Sfide e opportunità per le Autorità Locali (Training in GCE for Italian Local Authorities)
On May, 11-12, in Ancona, Global Schools organized a training of local authorities officers in GCE . This event has represented an opportunity to reinforce relations between local authorities and NGOs active in GCE and to learn from research and key stakeholders’ experience.
In Rome two very important events involving also key political actors were organized.
4. Tracing Policies for Global Citizenship Education: Building a Policy to Promote Change
On May, 15 it was held a multi-stakeholders’ meeting to advocate for a national strategy on Global Citizenship Education.
5. Schools for Future Youth – Seminario di approfondimento
On June, 21 , Oxfam Italy, in the framework of the project School for Future Youth, organized a multi-stakeholder event aiming at gathering together relevant Italian stakeholders on GCE.
Participants discussed in three working-groups “How can institutions and organizations of civil society effectively collaborate for a quality education for all?” at local, national and international level.
The meeting represented an important opportunity to debate the role of Italy in the implementation of SDG4 for the Agenda 2030.
The need for a National Strategy to enhance a higher level of coherence between all actors involved both vertically and horizontally is key element that emerged from discussion.
At the conference where present also representative of the Italian Development Cooperation Agency , Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), Italian Alliance for Sustainable development (AVSIS) and the co-director of the DERC IOE-UCL.
Important events have been announced for near future:
- MAECI foresees the organization of an internal meeting to discuss on GCE for July 2017;
- Among Italian inter-ministerial committees there is interest on teacher education in GCE and role of university;
- In the forthcoming G20 meeting will focus also on quality education ;
- CONCORD (the European network of NGOs) is seeking a consultant to prepare a publication on Global Citizenship Education Study of investment in GCE across member states by national governments between 2011 and 2015
One of the speakers at the conference referred that the time is ready now. Now the request is to reach coherence among the several resources that are now present in GCE policy. NGOs are interested to fight against radicalism and stereotypes. NGOs have a local request to work towards social justice, where no one is left behind.