"My World Depends on Us" is the theme of the 2017 Global Education Week (GEW), an annual event, which takes place in schools and education institutions across Europe. GEW 2017 focuses on Agenda 2030 for sustainable development.

On September 25, 2015, 193 countries of the United Nations have adopted new Global goals, which we will all try to achieve together by 2030. Sustainable development goals (Agenda 2030) are universal and include all countries, including Slovenia. The goals are very optimistic and will not be easy to achieve. By achieving them, extreme poverty will be eradicated without causing any damage to our planet or preventing future generations from living a decent life. Seventeen goals cover all areas of our lives -  from care for the environment, the use of renewable energies, responsible consumerism to good health, quality education ... While implementing Global goals it is essential that everyone participates, since we live in global interdependence, where our actions affect the lives of people in other parts of the world, and vice versa.

Preparations and promotion for the GEW 2017 started immediately after the GEW national coordinators meeting in Sofia in December 2016, since SLOGA and its members were already doing a lot of activities on this field.

SLOGA has been promoting GEW 2017 during regular meetings of the global education working field on a national level SLOGA is coordinating, meetings with stakeholders (teachers, ministries foreign affairs and education, director of the lifelong learning festival …), national and international events (festivals, fairs, forums, conferences …). Special leaflet for the GEW in general and the brochure for GEW 2017 were printed. We are informing the media and general public with regular Public Relations activities.

Following the good practice from last year, SLOGA is again promoting GEW activities on Facebook with payed ads that have proven to be more effective than printing posters, since we are reaching wider audience, especially outside “NGO bubble”.

By combining activities of GEW and consortium’s project, we have reached more people, especially teachers and youth workers. Those targets groups were informed regularly through the global education newsletter and a specialized global education newsletter for teachers. We used the established platform to share information, publications, resources, good practices and case studies. Global Education Week was also promoted during national conference for global education, motivational day for teachers on global education and workshops NGOs implemented within the project.

In September 2017 the Parliament adopted Resolution on international development cooperation and humanitarian aid that recognizes the role of global education in poverty eradication and achieving sustainable development, and calls for active support for global education activities from the state. SLOGA has been actively involved in the process of drafting the document, which was led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

SLOGA is regularly producing thematic e-newsletters on Global Education and updating a website www.tuditi.si devoted to GE, where one can find more information on GE, workshops, up-to-date research and materials, can subscribe to an e-newsletter or a thematic newsletters for teachers, learning Global Goals and tips on how to create fairer world.

In conclusion, I can say that the field of Global Education has been flourishing in the past two years, slowly but surely gaining supporters and acknowledgment not only by NGOs and teachers, but also by officials. By seeing the impact of joint work, NGOs have been pushing for coherent and coordinated actions, working together, rather than against each other. The funds provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, although small, and the work of the consortium, have been beneficial and have strengthened the sector. Finding new synergies, bringing new actors in the field, also working with other sectors and having strong passion for the cause, have also resulted in many approved projects on the last DEAR call by the European Commission. Again, NGOs have decided to work together on finding common activities within the approved DEAR projects and boosting them to reach more people. The platform continues with advocacy activities on national and international level and promotion of Global Education. We believe Global Education is the key for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals – even before 2030.

In Slovenia there are many different actors in the field of global education with NGOs occupying a central role in this regard

Slovenia does not have comprehensive development cooperation programs, and a relatively small share of GDP is allocated to Official Development Assistance (0.19% of GDP in 2016), a small number of NGOs are part of larger international networks, and most of them do not participate in development projects outside Slovenia. Unlike many countries, global education is not at the forefront of the civil society sector, but at its core, as many educational and public awareness campaigns represent the bulk of NGO work, as evidenced by the fact that the Global Education working field is the broadest working field of the SLOGA platform, both in terms of membership and the extent of joint activities implemented.

As in many other countries, in Slovenia there are many different actors in the field of global education. NGOs occupy a central role in this regard, since they are the main initiators of educational activities, develop new pedagogical materials and methodologies, and implement numerous workshops, seminars and other lectures, and also work in advocacy and promotion of global education in the general public. Although NGOs play a central role, they are directly involved in complex power relations with other important actors – European Commission, CONCORD, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, National Education Institute Slovenia, local authorities, schools …

Since the term global education is mainly used by NGOs, it is relatively unknown within formal educational sector. Instead, Education for Sustainable Development is the term that is widely known in education field. There seems to be no major difference in concepts, regarding content and methodology. However, through many implemented activities, seminars and workshops, many pedagogical tools for formal and non-formal education sector produced and especially through Global Education Weeks (SLOGA has been a Global Education Week national coordinator from 2006), global education is becoming more and more recognized and valued. Its value has been especially acknowledged by governmental and other official bodies since the refugee crisis in 2015.

With the accession of Slovenia to the European Union in 2004, the Parliament adopted the strategic document titled “Resolution on International Development Co-operation of the Republic of Slovenia until 2015” of which development education and awareness-raising are an integral part.  In 2007, the Ministry of Education and Sport prepared conceptual Guidelines for Education for Sustainable Development that present the first official document in the field of global education. Given its non-operational and non-binding character, Slovenia does not have a national strategy that would guarantee the necessary support for global / development education. However, in 2017 SLOGA has been successful in advocating for Guidelines for Global Education with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and has started the preparation process for developing the guidelines.

Turbulent times have shown the importance of global education. The global economic and financial crisis, which we have witnessed since 2008 and has affected Slovenia with delay of several years, was one of the hallmarks of the long-term unsustainability of the system, which provides us with both surplus and vital products and services. The second warning comes from environmental and climate experts who point to the limits of economic growth, growth, which in any case does not provide additional jobs, while destroying our chances of long-term survival. The third warning comes in the form of rising migration waves that are becoming increasingly massive and dangerous for people on the move. It is precisely in these uncertain and unpredictable situations that the true value of global education can be shown.

Migrant and refugee challenge in 2015-2016, when half a million people crossed Slovenia, a country of 2 million inhabitants, identified clear need for stronger and focused global education efforts on national level to counter extremist and radical viewpoints. In a way, I can say it gave NGOs and officials a new, and much needed, push. Reactivation was immediate, in the formal and non-formal education sector and wider.

In 2016 SLOGA joined successful advocacy activities of the NGO community on national and European level for stronger wording on global education in the European Consensus on Development, key European policy document for implementation of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.

In 2016 a consortium of Slovene NGOs working in the field of global education successfully applied for the call of the MFA with the project titled NGO CONSORTIUM: GLOBAL EDUCATION FOR GLOBAL GOALS!. Platform SLOGA as the project coordinator with 12 other Slovenian non-governmental organisations were implementing activities during the next 18-months: trainings for head teachers and teachers; a national conference for head teachers and teachers; a motivation day for teachers; the preparation of a manual on the connection between global education and the Sustainable Development Goals; monthly e-newsletters for teachers; workshops for children and youth; advocacy activities … The activities were implemented in 12 statistical regions of Slovenia with aim to encourage greater support for global education among educationalists, promote the visibility of, and support for, the Sustainable Development Goals and humanitarian aid among children and youth and ensure that non-governmental organisations coordinate their activities with those of other players.

It was the first time that majority of GE NGOs joined forces and applied together on the call, resulting not only in the quality of the implemented activities, but also in strengthening and synchronization of the activities of the whole sector in Slovenia. Once again the meaning of the name SLOGA, which in Slovenian language means working together in unity, has proved that by working together can bring more fruitful results. 

Patricija Virtič, Head of Global Education,

SLOGA (Slovene Global Action) – platform of Slovene NGOs for development, global education and humanitarian aid