WHEN: 9TH JUNE, DAY ONE

PANEL: PANEL 1 

TITTLE: The European Dveoopment Education Consensus-a chance to foster intercultural dialogue in Europe

Eva Marn, Slovenija, Board President of Sloga

Intercultural dialogue is the best tool and a ‘conditio sine qua non’ of  our common life and future. Culture meaning also to cultivate one`s mind means that our minds should be open to a diversity of ideas, ways of doing things,  various answers to our common questions, and that will bring us to the best possible solutions.  The conference discussions also showed that  technically we are improving, learning how to influence the national strategies, lobbying politicians and the media, including all stakeholders and that we are always getting better in this, but the time has come to discuss the substance more and to discuss what rather than only how.

To read the full speech, please visit Eva Marn.doc

Anita Pipan, Slovnija, Directorate for Policy Planning and Multilateral Relations

The integration of the priorities of the Member States and EU institutions with those of civil society is a key element determining the impact of development policy and programmes. The participation of a wide range of non-state actors in the development cooperation process is a core principle of the European development policy.  Development NGOs are important actors and a strategic alliance to support development education would offer many opportunities. The EU sees as fundamental the role that education plays in the protection and promotion of cultural expressions.
In short, by developing a more pro-active cultural role in the context of our external assistance, our aim is to promote greater mutual knowledge and understanding and thus to improve the EU’s external assistance.

To read the full speech, please visit  Anita Pipan.doc

Roberto Ridolfi, Head of Unit EuropeAid F3

The presentation given by Mr. Roberto Ridolfi, Head of Unit EuropeAid F3, focussed on the role of the European Commission in supporting developing education, and more specifically on the programmes that have supported and currently support development education and awareness raising actions in Europe. It was reminded how the European Commission has been supporting Development Education actions in Europe through the Co-financing with European NGOs from 1979 to 2006 and the Non State Actors and Local Authorities in Development Programme as from 2007. After providing a historical overview of the Commission's support to development education, Mr. Ridolfi's presentation highlighted the main features and perspectives under the Non State Actors and Local Authorities in Development Programme. A stronger emphasis in annual implementation is and will be given to increased dialogue with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), monitoring and evaluation of results, exchange of information and best practices, strategic planning, co-ordination with other donors. The special focus on and support to CSOs from New Member States was also mentioned. 

To see the power point presentation used by Mr Riberto Ridolfi, please visit Mr. Roberto Ridolfi.doc

Rilli Lappalainen, co Chair of the European Multistakeholder Development Education Steering Group and Chair of Development Education Forum of CONCORD

Development education and intercultural dialogue are active learning processes that comprises exchange between individuals, groups and organisations with different backgrounds or world views. Those are also the tools to make strategies like development education consensus to come true. We need to communicate and build common actions nNot just in through official educational or school systems but through people´s hobbies, every day consuming, international enterprises, media, politics etc.
We consider that development education is an integral part of European development aid policy as a major thrust guaranteeing the commitment of public opinion behind international solidarity.
But responsibility of the globe it is not just a development matter. Our behaviour here in Europe influence in the global climate change. Respect towards human rights is a global matter.
There will be no poverty eradication in the south, if the politicians in the north don't change their minds. That also means support for the recourses to do this work.  We need active constituencies in support development policies in both national and European levels.

To read the full speech, please visit Rilli Lappalainen.do

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PANEL: PANEL 2 

TITTLE: New perspecitves in Development Eudcation: intercultural Dialogue, southern perspective and multi stakeholder approaches

Dr. Nina Vodopivec, Slovenija, Sloga-Humanitas Representatives 

Intercultural dialogue and development education both point towards various perspectives whilst deconstructing one mainstream story. However, the idea is not only to include new topics but also to highlight the problems behind the dominant views and perspectives. The question is not only what we should present but also how we present it, and, if intercultural dialogue speaks about the ‘how’, then development education is about the ‘what’. The point is to think about development and global issues within intercultural contexts.
It is important to pay attention to similarities and connections between societies learning to understand cultural differences in a more critical way and not as all embracing criteria. A more relation-based approach would be needed: we should pay attention to the relations within and beyond the EU “fortress wall” as well as the North – South direction. And we should be careful that in the name of cultural sensitivity and social change, we don't forget the people - the concrete individuals we are so openly fighting for.

To read the full speech, please visit Dr Nina Vodopivec-Intercultural dialogue and development education.doc

Dr. Vathsala Aithal, Germany,  University of Frankfurt

Poverty is largely seen as an economic issue, but it can also be “poverty” if the abundance of knowledge in the cultures of the South is not considered, acknowledged and valued. More visibility must be given to best practices in the South – in sustainable development on the one side and development education on the other. While Development Education in Europe has successfully linked development issues in the South with domestic issues in the North there is the danger that core issues of development are being marginalized: with the increasing emphasis on migration into Europe it is easily forgotten that the largest migration that is going on is within Africa. Such complexities must be reflected in development education efforts.
In the light of competing terms around DE like ‘global education’, ‘global learning’, ‘quality education’, intercultural dialogue’, ‘education for global citizenship’ and ‘citizenship education’ there is not only the problem of the definition of DE. Moreover, one has to come to an understanding of: what is it that we want to define? What is the phenomenon or the object that calls for a definition?

To read the full speech, please visit Dr. Vathsala Aithal-Southern Perspectives on European Development Education.doc

Agata Czaplińska, Development Cooperation Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Poland

Agata Czaplińska had presentation on Experiences from EU Members States: Possibilities of initiating a multi-stakeholder approach to development education in the new EU Members States

To see Agata Czaplińska power point presentation, please visit Agata Czaplinska-development education in Poland.pdf

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WORKING GROUPS

1.) TITTLE: Promoting development education partnership at the national level

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2.) TITTLE: European Dvelopment Eucation Consensus was officially inveiled-what is next? 

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3.) TITTLE: Drawing on experiences in the south 

Stiaan van der Merwe, Coaching South Africa

In view of the topic for this session being: Global players in DE/GE it is important to affirm the role of the South in the DE in and for Europe. Yes the very appreciative and also very uncomfortably critical South can and should be players in DE in and for Europe. Appreciation and criticism would be part of the role as players in DE and GE.  A view from the South would therefore add to DE efforts in and for Europe, by emphasising that DE in Europe is not about the South (only) and not only about what you can or should do for the South. DE in Europe is as much about Europe and the North as it is about the South. DE in Europe is also about the development and enlightenment of Europe.  A focus on the development and enlightenment of Europe would require a paradigm shift in the seemingly dominant paradigm of DE and GE in Europe. As such DE and GE organizations, projects, networks and actors would also become agents for change, also of fundamental change, of Europe and the North.

To read the full speech, please visit Stiaan van der Merwe-GLOBAL PLAYERS IN DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION a view from the south.doc

Knut Hjelleset, the RORG-network, Norway

Conference Note from presentation in the working group “Drawing on Experiences in the South”
To view the conference note, please visit Knut Hjelleset-conference note from presentation in the working group 'Drawing from Experiences in the South'.doc

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4.) TITTLE: Contributing to and learning from research

Dr. Geke Kieft, Wageningen University and Research Centre, the Nederlands

To see Dr. Geke Kieft power point presentation, please visit  Geke Kieft-Management of Agro-ecological Knowledge and Social Change.ppt

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5.) TITTLE: Linking Intercultural Dialogue and Development Education 

 Nicoletta Pusterla, Project Manager in EuropeAid Unit F3 and Local Authorities in Development" (NSA & LA in Development)

The presentation given by Ms. Nicoletta Pusterla, Project Manager in EuropeAid Unit F3, Sector "Non State Actors and Local Authorities in Development" (NSA & LA in Development), focussed on the role of the European Commission in "Linking Intercultural Dialogue and Development Education", which was the subject of Working Group V. This contribution to the Working Group linked back to issues presented in the first plenary session, reminding the historical overview of European Commission's support to Development Education. It was highlighted how the principles of solidarity and intercultural dialogue, which are keystones of European integration, were included in the implementation of development education actions. The variety of themes and approaches in development education projects was briefly presented. Central issues for intercultural dialogue, such as the recognition of global interdependence between developed and developing countries, the support to fairer relations, and the promotion of a social dimension of globalisation, were identified in the strategy of the thematic programme NSA & LA in Developement. Finally, it was observed how a multi-actor approach and fostering synergies between different stakeholders (which are features of the thematic programme NSA & LA) could benefit projects in the field of intercultural dialogue.

To read the power point used in working group 'Linking Intercultural Dialogue and Development Education' by Ms. N icoletta Pusterl, please visit EuropeAid_WGV_SLOGA_Conf.ppt

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