North-South Centre of European Commission in cooperation with Estonian NGO “Eesti People to People” organized the international seminar for the Baltic region states with the aim to facilitate cooperation between the Baltic States in the field of education development and to find support for new cooperation ideas.
North-South Centre of European Commission in cooperation with Estonian NGO “Eesti People to People” organized the international seminar for the Baltic region states with the aim to facilitate cooperation between the Baltic States in the field of education development and to find support for new cooperation ideas. The representatives of Balkan States from the NGO sector of Georgia and Bulgaria also participated in the work groups. At the opening of the seminar, the representatives of the ministries of Baltic States – Algimantas Simaitis ( Šimaitis ) from the Ministry of Education of Lithuania and Liva ( Līva ) Steinberga, the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia – encouraged to cooperate and wished productive work.
Iveta Verse ( Vērse ), director of Education Development Centre (EDC), presented the work of the Latvian Platform for Development Cooperation (LAPAS) in the field of Global Education and Johanna Helina from Estonian Global Education (GE) Centre Mondo shared with the experience on the work of the centre. For the participation in the seminar were invited the teachers, teaching staff of higher educational institutions, representatives of Ministries, representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in order, by working in work groups, there would be studied valuable experience and jointly planned further activities for the actualization of Global Education.
The discussions took place in the work groups, where there were opinions exchanged on how to link the local in the everyday life with the global and how to work with the youth more successfully? There were good examples indicated how teachers at the educational institutions educate pupils, and pupils, in their turn, educate their parents. However, in order to achieve the changes regarding the society’s attitude towards these issues, there shall be educated the society on the whole. Estonian teaches and representatives of NGO sector shared their experience hey had obtained, while participating in different projects.
The event was attended Biruta Rivane ( Rīvāne ), Santa Visa-Gaisina ( Viša-Gaisiņa ) and Inta Ozolniece - the representatives of the project “Global Schools”. The participants of the seminar were given an opportunity to acquaint with the activities of Estonian centre Humana People to People and to observe in reality the work performed by people in order to sort the secondhand clothes. These clothes from Denmark, Sweden and Estonia are brought to Humana retail chain, which is widely spread in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. A part of these things are sent to Pakistan and part of money got at the shops is shifted to the people starving in Africa.
Santa Visa-Gaisina ( Viša-Gaisiņa ) (works at a preschool educational institution) acknowledged that it was very interesting to listen to the experience of other countries regarding GE issues and their integration into the schools and just in educators’ activities, because it is not easy at all. Many educators mostly work and ground their activities on the content of study programs, and they observe it deliver classes. But the educators, who are really interested in what is happening in the world, will try to teach it to the children. Therefore such seminars show the efforts and work contributed in joint development and elaboration of study aids for educators, including the GE issues.
There were interesting examples presented by Georgia “Green Movement” (representative - Levan Tskhakaia), who emphasized that GE is the base for sustainable development and indicated the use of the games of intellectual ecological problems while teaching and working with society. The essential precondition for the successful implementation of GE in society, Dalia also emphasized at the seminar by Navikiene, Deputy Director of Lithuanian Children and Youth Centre, is the cooperation of Ministries in the state, because it is not enough to educate and train only educators. We should pay particular attention to informing of all society, especially – using the mass media. The participants of the seminar acknowledged that it has been wonderful experience – when expressing their thoughts and proposals in the work group and when elaborating preconditions for the educators’ professional development and quality assurance.
Miguel Silva, the representative of North-South Centre of European Commission, emphasized the necessity of the development of a dialogue in the society, because the issues of global education are related to each of us. We can preserve for the next generations our home – our world if the mankind will be able to act jointly in the field of the development of cooperation.
Ilze Dalbina ( Dalbiņa )the representative of UNESCO from Latvia emphasized that 17 Sustainable Aims of the National Development Plan ( Nacionālās attīstības plāna 17 ilgtspējīgas attīstības mērķi ) are important for each of us.
It is through Global Education people can develop their understanding about the priorities of international development, as well as about the aims and principles of sustainable development. It is important to acquire knowledge and to educate others. Within the framework of project “Global Schools” GE courses for the educators from the preschool educational institutions and primary schools of Rezekne Amalgamated Municipality are successfully delivered by the lecturers of Education Development Centre and Green Freedom. Perhaps, somebody has a question: Why are there so many aims of sustainable development and what can WE and what can I influence in this global age? It is possible that the answers to your questions you will find during the event organized by the Latvian Platform for Development Cooperation (LAPAS) in cooperation with the Educational Department of Rezekne Amalgamated Municipality on 3 November from 01:00 p.m. till 03:00 p.m. in the hall of the local government of Rezekne Amalgamated Municipality at Atbrīvošanas aleja 95a, Rezekne. During the event there was screened the documentary “No Impact Man” (“Cilvēks bez ietekmes”). The views of the participants of Baltic regional seminar were summarized by Inta Ozolniece coordinator of the project “Global Schools” from Rezekne Amalgamated Municipality.
