Language & Democracy

Meeting of the network in Strasbourg in August 2001

Presentation of the "Power of Language"- handbook
at the Council of Europe

The network's two working groups came together for a one- week- meeting last summer in Strasbourg/ France, known as one of the crossroads of Europe. Apart from the members from Brazil, Chile, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, Northern Ireland, the Philippines and the USA the Strasbourg meeting served as a first touch with the human right organisation UMAC from South Africa that is going to be a new partner of the network initiative. The meeting aimed at continuing the work of the different smaller working groups such as "Tolerance reports", "Educational concepts" and "Evaluation".

The working group "Language and Democracy" could celebrate its first publication: The handbook "The Power of Language" for facilitators and practisioners which found very positive response. This reader, which contains exercises and practical workshop examples from ten different countries, was officially presented to the Council of Europe. The Council` s campaign "The European Year of Languages" embraced the "Power of Language"- program as an important contribution to the year.

The visit to the Council of Europe also served to reinforce the collaboration with the section "Education for Democratic Citizenship" represented by Michela Ceccini an Angela Garabagiu.
Besides the "Evaluation"- group gave a test run to an evaluation workshop. The "Tolerance Reports"- group as well as the "Educational Concepts"- group processed their issues succesfully and are approaching a soon publication of their work.

The network decided in Strasbourg to put a main emphasis on human rights education in the future. Vera Candau from the Brazilian NGO NOVAMERICA gave an insight to the issue with a presentation about the development and current challenges of human rights education in Latin America.