Information Meeting on the 48th ICE 27 June 20081

Preparation of the 48th session of the

International Conference on Education (ICE)

Inclusive Education: The Way of the FutureGeneva, 25–28 November 2008

Clementina Acedo, Director UNESCO-IBE

UNESCO, Paris, 27 June 2008 (Salle XI)

Information Meeting on the 48th ICE 27 June 20082

General information about the 48th ICE

• ICE organized by the IBE since 1934 • Major international forum for policy dialogue: Ministers

of Education and other stakeholders• Inclusive Education: The Way of the Future• Geneva, 25-28 November 2008• Around 1,400 participants expected

Information Meeting on the 48th ICE 27 June 20083

Expected Outcomes

• Political awareness and a shared understanding of the broadened concept of inclusive education

• Implications of this understanding of Inclusive Education on a refined vision of EFA

• Adoption of an evidence-based policy agenda

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Structure of the 48th session of the ICE

• Opening Ceremony

• Introductory debate “From inclusive education to inclusive society.” Chaired by the DG. Keynote speakers: Vice-President of Ecuador; Minister of Education of South Africa

• Research findings and policy challenges for inclusive education. Chaired by ADG/ED, Panelists: Dir GMR, OECD’s PISA Coordinator

• Workshops on the four sub-themes of the Conference (12 sessions). 2 Ministers, 1 Expert, 1 Moderator, 1 Rapporteur

• Final Debate. Chaired by ADG/ED. Proposals for action: An international policy agenda for inclusive education

Information Meeting on the 48th ICE 27 June 20085

Structure of the 48th session of the ICE

Four thematic workshops:

• Inclusive Education: Approaches, Scope and Content• Inclusive Education: Public Policies• Inclusive Education: Systems, Links and Transitions• Inclusive Education: Learners and Teachers

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Roundtable

Roundtable of Ministers of Education

• Broadcasted debate to transmit key messages of the ICE to a wider audience

• Discussion of policy gaps and tangible solutions• Moderated by Tim Sebastian (BBC)• Three Ministers of Education and three young people

(representing groups vulnerable to exclusion)• Comments by selected experts and policy leaders

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Consultation and regional preparatory meetings

10 regional preparatory workshops (IBE/COP-UNESCO Offices)

• East and South-East Europe in Romania • East and West Africa in Kenya • Gulf Arab States in United Arab Emirates• Latin America (South and Andean) in Argentina• Sub-Saharan Africa in Rwanda • Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in Belarus• East Asia in China • Caribbean in Jamaica • Nordic countries in Finland• Arab States in Lebanon (planned for August)

Information Meeting on the 48th ICE 27 June 20088

Consultation and regional preparatory meetings

3 regional preparatory conferences

• Europe and North America in Latvia (February 08)• Asia and Pacific in Indonesia (May 08)• Africa in Cameroon (17-18 September 08)

784 participants (policymakers, experts, UN officials and representatives of civil society)

111 countries

Information Meeting on the 48th ICE 27 June 20089

Some outcomes from regional preparatory meetings

• Several approaches to inclusive education common to all regions (special needs education, integration, social inclusion)

• Social awareness and advocacy of inclusive education tightly connected to issues of social exclusion and tolerance

• National experiences and policy challenges shared inter-regionally and intra-regionally

• Expertise within and across regions mobilized to promote South-South and North-South-South cooperation

• Opportunities for partnerships with regional and international organizations

• Road maps and conference conclusions developed or adopted

• Commitment from policymakers to participate in the ICE

Information Meeting on the 48th ICE 27 June 200810

Speakers and participants

• 26 Ministers of Education contacted, 22 confirmed

• Over 100 people (ministers, experts, UN and UNESCO officials, NGOs) in active roles; most confirmed

Information Meeting on the 48th ICE 27 June 200811

Preparation of the Conference documents

• DG invitation letter sent along with provisional agenda and general presentation of the Conference

• Reference Document under preparation (ready for translation by end of July)

• Requests and guidelines for National Reports on the development of education issued

• Policy Guidelines for Inclusion being revised by UNESCO

• Discussion papers for 4 workshop subthemes are being drafted by Rosa Blanco Guijarro (UNESCO/Santiago), Ines Aguerrondo (IIEP), Adama Ouane (UIL) and Sheldon Shaeffer (UNESCO/Bangkok)

Information Meeting on the 48th ICE 27 June 200812

Comenius Medal

• Award established in 1992 by the Czech Ministry of Education and UNESCO in commemoration of the 400th anniversary of birth of Jan Amos Comenius

• Outstanding achievements and innovations in the field of education

• 94 candidatures received

• Jury will meet on 15 of July to recommend 10 laureates representing the five geographical regions

• Ceremony on 26 November 2008 chaired by DG

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Exhibitions

• Exhibition on practices of inclusion• Effective practices of inclusive education • Involving UN agencies, NGOs and the private sector• Includes fundraising component

• Exhibition on J.A. Comenius, in coordination with the J.A. Comenius Museum of Prague

• Messages from Ministers addressing the Conference theme

• UNESCO Publications (HQ, Institutes)

Information Meeting on the 48th ICE 27 June 200814

Possible side events

• Human Rights and Education

• UNICEF Education in Emergencies

• Revised UNESCO Policy Guidelines for Inclusion

• Synergies with other UNESCO Conferences (ESD, CONFINTEA IV, WCHE)

• Outcomes of ICE regional preparatory workshops and conferences

Information Meeting on the 48th ICE 27 June 200815

Communication and advocacy activities

• Conference poster designed and created

• Videos to be shown at opening session and workshops

• New IBE Website by mid-July, including the 48th ICE website

• Special issue of “Prospects” devoted to inclusive education in English, French and Spanish

Information Meeting on the 48th ICE 27 June 200816

Resource mobilization

• Voluntary contributions received from Switzerland (100,000 CHF) and Kuwait (100,000 CHF)

• “Saudi Fund for Arabic Language in UNESCO” offers simultaneous Arabic interpretation for workshops

• Benin, Brazil, Canada, India and Spain contacted and have given initial positive response

• UNICEF

• Private sector sponsorship through exhibit participation

Financial amount still to be secured: US$ 672,000

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Budget Overview

2007 2008 TOTAL

Resources secured $596,000 $904,007 $1,500,007

Resources to be mobilized $671,993 $671,993

ICE Budget $596,000 $1,576,000 $2,172,000

Information Meeting on the 48th ICE 27 June 200818

We would like your participation

and your financial contribution to the ICE

to make this important event

a shared success

Thank you