News

Diversity and Citizenship: A challenge and an opportunity for schools

Second annual conference of A CLASSROOM OF DIFFERENCE – Diversity Education Network (ACODDEN)

Florence, July 3rd – 4th. 2003

Diversity and citizenship education is, now more than ever, an essential priority if Europe is to remain a continent that is open to other cultures and that avoids exclusion and being turned in on itself.

The European Commission highlighted this priority on November 21st 2001, in a publication entitled ‘The creation of a European sphere for lifelong learning’. This makes plain that the European Union is not simply a body designed for economic development, but is also one that must encourage social inclusion, active citizenship, personal development, tolerance and democracy. The success of non-formal youth education projects is well recognised: these offer young people an enhanced ability to participate in society and to gain personal values such as tolerance and democracy. Furthermore, the importance of developing the multicultural competency of teachers and youth leaders has also been well recognised.

As a result of today’s massive migratory flows, the composition of our schools has changed profoundly. What answers can now be provided to those teachers who work with a muticultural youth on a daily basis? How can a truly European citizenship that respects those values essential to democracy, the rights of the general population and of the individual be contributed to?
The second international ACODDEN network conference aims to promote debate on the following themes and questions:

1. Initial training of teachers
2. Didactic practices concerning diversity
3. Language and communication
4. Schools and the community

This conference will be organised by the ACODDEN Network in collaboration with IRRE Toscana.

More information

Download

Contact

Centre Européen Juif d´Information (CEJI)
319 Avenue Brugmann
B-1180 Bruxelles
Belgium
Tel: +32 2 344 3444
Fax: +32 2 344 6735
Email: carine.douenias@ceji.org