Nş 61 | September 2008

Global Education News is an electronic newsletter where national global education coordinators or practitioners can share global education news and best practices, useful thematic links and educational materials. It also serves as a medium for the North-South Centre global education network national coordinators' own use.

    Dear friends,

    We do hope summer was rich in encounters and enjoyable.
    The North-South Centre is busy preparing its annual youth momentum, the Mollina University on Youth and Development which will be held under the theme of intercultural dialogue. In this context you will find also a special file on the Council of Europe intercultural and interreligious dialogue policy. More about Human Rights, with the annual report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the World Programme for Human Rights Education (§4), and effective Aid (§7).
    Do not forget to get acquainted to related useful links (§3) and resources (§4) as well as interesting offers (§5) and events and conferences (§6)

    Enjoy the reading!

1. News from North-South Centre of the Council of Europe & the Global Education Week network

2. Other GE news

    . Special file : Council of Europe intercultural and interreligious dialogue policy

    . Promotion of intercultural dialogue through education - representatives of the Council of Europe, the OSCE and the United Nations agreed that the promotion of intercultural dialogue and the management of cultural diversity remained among the priorities of their organisations. They emphasised the promotion of ''intercultural competences'' through education as well as the link between intercultural dialogue and conflict prevention. more ...

    . Council of Europe Education Newsletter - Special issue on “World Programme for Human Rights Education”

    . Guidelines from One World Week's Inter Faith Project
    OWW's Inter Faith project in 2007-8 was completed in March. The report is published as an illustrated booklet, which you can download or read the text here on the website, or download the text. The report, "Building Local Bridges Together to Address Shared Global Concerns", looks at a very varied set of case studies from four regions: the South West; Worcester, Manchester and Essex. Each case study outlines what happened and discusses the lessons learned from each. These are then distilled into Ten Top Tips  which offer really practical ideas for anyone planning to incorporate inter faith and intercultural elements into their OWW events.

    . 2008-2009 International Year of Human Rights Learning
    The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed the year commencing on 10 December 2008 as the International Year of Human Rights Learning, to be devoted to activities to broaden and deepen human rights learning based on the principles of universality, indivisibility, interdependency, impartiality, objectivity and non-selectivity, constructive dialogue and cooperation (resolution 62/171 of 18 December 2007). It aims to enhance the promotion and protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to development.

    . International Literacy Day - 8 September 2008

3. Useful links

    . Fellowships for threatened scholars around the world - the Scholar Rescue Fund formalizes an unwavering commitment to academic freedom that the Institute of International Education (IIE) has demonstrated for over 85 years. At the heart of the Fund is the idea that each scholar we help who continues his or her work in safety is a beacon of hope in our world

    . Better Aid website

    . New Youth website on line!
    Please get acquainted with Council of Europe Directorate of Youth and Sport new website!

    . Europocket TV - Daily news for young people on the European Union

    . UNESCO portal : Statistics - Guidelines - Toolkits

    . UNESCO – Social & Human sciences

    UNESCO newsletters

    . Presidency of the European Union - France 2008

4. Useful resources

Global Monitoring Report on Education for All, 2008 Global Monitoring Report on Education for All, 2008

5. Message in a bottle

    . On 9-10 October 2008, a Forum on "Civic Partnerships for Citizenship and Human Rights Education" will be organised by the Council of Europe in Strasbourg in the framework of the Swedish Presidency of the Committee of Ministers. Partnerships between governments, regional and local authorities, civil society organisations and other relevant actors are essential for effective promotion of EDC/HRE. There is already a wealth of good practices developed in this respect in the Council of Europe member states, but such partnerships need to be further developed and supported. The aim of the Forum is to produce recommendations on how this could be done at national and European level.
    The participants of the Forum will be officials from the 49 states party to the European Cultural Convention, representatives of international institutions, civil society and foundations active in the field of EDC/HRE. From 150 to 300 participants are expected to attend the Forum.
    Travel and subsistence expenses of all participants will have to be covered by their organisations / institutions. Further information, application form and deadline

    . Call for nominations for the UNESCO/Bilbao Prize for the Promotion of a Culture of Human Rights 2008 - deadline for submission of candidatures expires on 15 September 2008 … more …

    . The 2009 Oak Fellowship : Migration and Human Rights …more…

6. Events

    . International Conference on Education for Sustainable Development - Bordeaux, October 27 - 29, 2008 … more…

    . 50 Days of Action -  GCAP Mobilisation 2008 - Source: Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP)
    From 1 September, millions of campaigners around the world will join the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) for 50 days of intense campaigning. The action begins with the High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness when GCAP will host a seminar in Accra on trade and aid, and will support the call from the Better Aid coalition. The Call will grow louder around the UN High Level Event on the Millennium Development Goals which will take place in New York on 25 September. GCAP coalitions in 12 countries are running poverty hearings to ensure the voices of impoverished and marginalised people are given a space to be heard, and will take these testimonies and recommendations to an international poverty hearing in New York on 23 September. In October, GCAP will work with, and support, partner organisations around the World Day for Decent Work on 7 October, World Food Day on 16 October and Debt Action Week from 13 -19 October. The 50 days of action will culminate with the massive 'Stand Up and Take Action' mobilisation from October 17-19 when tens of millions of people are expected to Take Action and call for an end to poverty and inequality and for the achievement and exceeding of the Millennium Development Goals. GCAP has developed a mobilisation guide with more information and to enable organisations and individuals to take action during the 50 days. The Mobilisation Guide is available in Arabic, English, French, Portuguese and Spanish (pdf versions). For more information, contact Ben Margolis, GCAP Mobilisation and Outreach officer at benmargolis@whiteband.org or click here.

7. Special Sustainable Development

8. Campaigns