July - September 2006, Edition Nº 1

Welcome to the Bulletin of the Inter-American Program on Education for Democratic Values and Practices.

Welcome to the first edition of this online Bulletin. We hope this bulletin will strengthen cooperation among our countries by enhancing the dialogue on the role of education in promoting a culture of democracy. It will also provide updates on the progress of our hemispheric alliance to strengthen education for democracy, the Inter-American Program on Education for Democratic Values and Practices. We hope you enjoy this inaugural edition, which will focus on the Inter-American Program as an opportunity for hemispheric dialogue and cooperation.

Subsequent editions will focus on specific themes within Education for Democratic Citizenship that are of interest to the member countries. The theme for our second edition will be how to involve youth in democratic participation.

We look forward to establishing an ongoing and fruitful dialogue with all of you,

Lenore Yaffee García
Director, Department of Education and Culture
Organization of American States
 

Inter-American Program Launches Webpage.
More information >>
Inter - American Seminar held in Mexico, July 5-7, 2006
See the Seminar Web Page >>
Approved Resolution of Support for Inter-American Program
See the resolution >>


What is the Inter-American Program?

The Inter-American Program on Education for Democratic Values and Practices is an alliance officially adopted by the ministers of education of OAS member states through CIDI/RME/RES. 12 (IV-O/05) at the IV Meeting of the Ministers of Education held in Scarborough, Trinidad and Tobago on August 11th and 12th , 2005. In the Commitments to Action from Scarborough, ministers asked the Inter-American Committee on Education (CIE) to launch the Inter-American Program, which supports and builds upon significant ongoing local, national and international efforts in formal and non-formal education for democracy. The Program has three components: (1) Research and analysis, (2) Professional development and educational resources, and (3) Cooperation and information exchange.

Structure of the Program

An interdisciplinary, cross-national Advisory Board of 40 members provides guidance for the Program, as does the Coordinating Group of Countries which each of the 34 OAS member states is invited to join.

More information on the Program and its achievements is available at: www.educadem.oas.org

Interested institutions and individuals are encouraged to join this hemispheric alliance by contacting the Inter-American Program's technical secretariat at the OAS. Please contact us at education@oas.org


Send us recommendations of promising initiatives (programs, practices and others) to education@oas.org

Please send us at least the name of the initiative, contact person if possible, correct contact email and phone number if available, so we may send them the questionnaire.
. Country Highlights

Guatemala

 Within the framework of the Strategy for Improvement of Educational Quality, APRENDO, the Ministry of Education of Guatemala launched its Strategy on Values and Citizenship Education for preprimary, primary and secondary education. The strategy will strengthen the area of Citizenship Education in the revised Basic National Curriculum being implemented since 2005.
More information >>

Survey of Policies in Democratic Citizenship Education and similar areas
More information >>
. Promising Educational Initiatives

Portfolio of Promising Policies, Programs and Practices
More information >>

(We are collecting information to develop an updated portfolio)
. Events

Program's Advisory Board met in Bogotá, Colombia, April 19 – 21, 2006.

The Program's Advisory Board convened for 3 days in April to provide recommendations for the Inter–American Program's future action plan. The recommendations provided by the inter-disciplinary, cross-national team of approximately 35 experts, include publication of an Inter-American Journal in the field. The Program is moving forward with these recommendations and is seeking funding to implement the 2007 – 2008 action plan.
More information >>

  

• Previous Inter-American Program events >>

In other regions

• Democratic Citizenship Education In Other Regions >>
• Citizenship Education in Northern Ireland >>
• UNESCO Case Studies >>
• Conflict Resolution Education around the World >>

. Be Part of the Dialogue

What would you like to see in this bulletin? We welcome your suggestions and active participation in the construction of this publication. Contact us at: education@oas.org

Second edition: The theme of our second edition will be involving youth in democratic participation.
Find details on how to contribute and themes of future issues at http://www.educadem.oas.org/english/cpo_boletin.asp

Find other publications of interest and links to resources at www.educadem.oas.org

If you would like to add others to the list serve for this bulletin or if you wish to unsubscribe from this bulletin, send us an email to education@oas.org

• Team >>


First edition Quote
"I see injured and wounded schools. At the base of the sustainability of democracy is confidence. To generate confidence is a condition of learning..."

About the OAS
The Organization of American States (OAS) brings together the countries of the Western Hemisphere to strengthen cooperation and advance common interests. It is the region's premier forum for multilateral dialogue and concerted action. Although the idea of Inter-American cooperation dates back much further, the OAS came into being in 1948, evolving from the Pan American Union. Countries from all around the world are permanent observers , closely following the issues that are critical to the Americas.

• Find out more about the OAS>>


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