Development Education in European Union Strengthening the network of European Development Education NGOs Presentation 21 th June 2005 by president Rilli Lappalainen

CONCORD is the confederation representing European NGOs for relief and development at European level. Its 19 national associations and 18 international networks represent around 1500 NGOs that are supported by millions of European Citizens. CONCORD leads reflection and political actions and regularly engages in dialogue with the European institutions and other civil society organisations. Development education forum is one of the core working groups of CONCORD. It´s composed by the representatives of CONCORD´s members working in develepment education and public awareness raising. The forum establish common strategies to increase the impact of development education and public awareness raising activities in Europe.

What is Development Education Development Education is an active learning process, founded on values of solidarity, equality, inclusion and co-operation. It enables people to move from basic awareness of international development priorities and sustainable human development, through understanding of tha causes and effects of global issues, to personal involvement and informed action. DE fosters the full participation of all citizens in world-wide poverty eraduction, and the fight against exclusion. It seeks to influence more just and sustainable economic,social, environmental, human rights based national and international policies.

Development Education Forum The Development Education Forum promotes the adoption of quality standards for attaining development education goals. Through a range of activities and accumulated experience it proposes working criteria, relevant and applicable in all EU member states, to guide education providers in the NGO movements and in civil society, in the active delivery of development education. The enlargement of the EU raises significant new perspectives on attitudes towards the interdependence of nations and relations between North and South. The Forum will advocate for a European Development Education Strategy, providing definition, guidance, focus and coherence to the broad range of activities and research that constitute development education and awareness raising in Europe.

Priorities Priority I: Public opinion The DE Forum proposes that CONCORD initiates a 3-yearly Euro Barometer to monitor trends and changes in European public opinion on international development co-operation issues, and particularly public interest and support for the Millennium goals. Priority II: Funding for Development Education The DE Forum supports CONCORD and other stakeholders in their efforts to secure substantial increases in ODA, with significant increases in funds to be allocated to development education.

Priorities Priority III: Life-long learning The DE Forum calls on all stakeholders to lobby national education ministries to encourage the adoption of development education in school curricula. Priority IV: Cooperation with other stakeholders in the field of development education The DE Forum calls on new alliances to strengthen DE work at all levels, and to influence national development co-operation policies.

Other current topics - EC`s development policy - Financial perspectives - Future of NGO funding - Recommendations of DE conference in May

What is DEEEP? DEEEP is a 3-year programme, co-financed by the European Commission, that aims to increase the capacity of European NGDOs to deliver grassroots Development Education via - methodological exchange - training - elaboration of common policies and common projects - improved networking

Several concepts linked to DE... School / adult learning Public awareness raising TrainingCampaignsAdvocacy

DE Promotion, fundraising Information Capacity building Direct action Learning Multipliers … and several strategies DEEEP

European dimension Provide a framework of co-operation between NGOs and other stakeholders in Europe on Development Education with appropriate networking Provide training, promote learning and linkage between educators from European NGOs Raise visibility of Development issues among the European citizens through the implementation of the Council Resolution in support of DE Link with NGOs in ELDCs and in non-EU European countries

Working groups Summer School Council Resolution Information Management and Development Education Forum Training Experts Mailing list Co-ordination Committee

Summer School /1 The Summer School is an interactive and inclusive training event providing to EU development educators training opportunities and exposure to contemporary thinking on key development education issues and methodologies It works as an inspirational training centre, a place of learning and sharing of experiences between over 120 NGO practitioners per year Next Summer School: Germany (June 2006)

Spreading the learning Summer School National Meetings DEEEP and CONCORD can financially support the organisation of National meetings linked to the Summer School or to the Council Resolution)

Council Resolution /1 This resolution on Development Education and public awareness raising has been approved by the Council of Ministers of the EU on November Encourages increased support for development education Wishes to encourage the exchange of information and experience on development education between governments and civil society actors

Council Resolution /2 Encourages the initiatives of the NGOs and European and national institutions aimed at raising awareness amongst the population of the candidate countries for accession to the EU of the importance of supporting international solidarity in the fight against world poverty, as well as promoting development education in general The Resolution should be considered as an important tool to begin or re-engage the discussion on institutional support for Development Education and public awareness raising in the European Union.

Council Resolution /3 European level National level Support for Development Education Recognition of Development Education Commitments to Millennium goals Debate/evaluation ex-B

Information Web site: Newsletter to inform about Development Education with contributions from NGOs, National Platforms, CONCORD, TRIALOG, etc. Public seminars during the Development Education Forum meetings, visits, training, participation to conferences and events

Expected results Higher levels of co-operation between Development Education NGOs in Europe Improvement of skills, knowledge and expertise of Development Educators in Europe Increased visibility of Development related issues in Europe within NGOs and with civil society Provision of a reliable pan-European advisory service and strengthening of the network of DE in Europe. The implementation of or continuing support to the Council Resolution on Development Education in EU Member Countries

How to participate in DEEEP By subscribing to the mailing lists: By using and contributing to the Newsletter (more information: By keeping in contact with your national representatives in the Development Education Forum and in CONCORD By organising a national meeting to share the learning of this Summer School and contribute to next one