The Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) held, on June 8-9, 2023 at its headquarters in Tunis, an International Symposium on “Education on Citizenship, Tolerance, Peace and Coexistence Toward Achieving Sustainable Development Within the Framework of Transforming Education.”
The Symposium is convened in partnership with the Tunisian Ministry of Education and the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), and in cooperation with the Government of Catalonia in Spain, the Council of Europe Office, and UNESCO, as well as with the Spanish, French and German cultural institutes, Hans Seidel Foundation in Tunisia, and the Arab Institute for Human Rights.
The Symposium was attended by relevant officials, researchers and experts from Tunisia and from Arab and European countries, along with a number of Arab Ambassadors accredited in Tunisia.
In his remarks at the opening session, H.E. Dr. Mohamed Ould Amar, Director-General of ALECSO, noted that “the symposium is an opportunity to renew and deepen reflection, coordinate efforts, and share experiences toward promoting education on citizenship, tolerance, peace and coexistence, in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, within an ever-changing context in which all relevant stakeholders are working to promote a more equitable and inclusive quality education by 2030”. He went on to say : “ALECSO has been working jointly with its Member States as well as with international and regional organizations for spreading the citizenship culture and common human values, and for enhancing citizenship education at all levels, from pre-school to university. It has also been cooperating with a network of experts from Arab countries to consolidate education on citizenship and common values.” He stressed, in this context, that “it is our duty today, as individuals and institutions, to step up our efforts and coordinate our actions to promote education on citizenship, tolerance, peace, coexistence, and other common human values, which will help transform education to be more responsive to the needs of learners, in a way that prepares them for success in a rapidly changing world.” This can be achieved, he added, “by changing our vision of education, in terms of its functions, goals, curricula, methods, and ways of access to it. We are, therefore, called on to re-design school curricula at all levels of education toward enhancing the place of citizenship education, and adopting participatory teaching methods that develop the sense of critical thinking, constructive dialogue, and respect for human rights, and that encourage students to engage in collaborative work and community participation.”
H.E. Dr. Mohamed Ali Boughdiri, Tunisian Minister of Education, stated that Tunisia’s education reform program will pay special attention to instilling in schoolchildren the values of citizenship, indicating, in this regard, that the Ministry will increase the number of citizenship and environment education clubs, so that they cover most educational institutions in the country. Work will be done, he added, to enrich and strengthen the working methods of these clubs and to follow-up and evaluate their performance on a regular basis. He stressed that the inclusion of citizenship education into school curricula is among the key ideas that will be discussed upon the launch of the education reform process.
H.E. Dr. Kamel Deguiche, Tunisian Minister of Youth and Sports, noted that promoting citizenship education requires establishing a ground for coordination among all relevant stakeholders, as well as adopting a participatory approach based on a strategic dialogue between national institutions and civil society organizations, with the aim of developing a national strategy for education on citizenship and human rights.
H.E. Dr. Amel Moussa, Tunisian Minister of Family, Women, Childhood and the Elderly, highlighted the importance of supporting early childhood programs, while working, through various activities and programs, to instill the values of citizenship, tolerance and acceptance of others, regardless of difference.
H.E. Ms. Meritxell Serret i Aleu, Minister for Foreign Action and European Union at the Government of Catalonia, Spain, underlined the importance of addressing societal issues based on education as a key driver for reform and development. She highlighted the constructive cooperation between the Catalan Government and ALECSO, which aims to promote the sharing of experience and expertise, foster dialogue among cultures, and enhance Arab-Catalan cultural and linguistic exchange. She commended the role of specialized non-governmental organizations and bodies and other civil society institutions in promoting the culture of citizenship and civilized behavior. She called for further efforts to strengthen partnerships and cooperation, both bilateral and multilateral, in order to face development, social, cultural and environmental challenges. This, she added, would create better societies and protect future generations from sliding toward violence, extremism and discrimination. In the same context, she called for dialogue toward establishing effective policies for education and sustainable development, enhancing cooperation between the components of the political and civil society community, and promoting the culture of difference, tolerance and peaceful coexistence, thereby ensuring a better future for all peoples worldwide.
H.E. Mr. Arnaud Peral, UN Resident Coordinator for Tunisia, stressed the importance of joint action to promote the values of citizenship and peaceful coexistence, through developing education, enhancing students’ skills, and building generations capable of shouldering responsibility while being imbued with the sense of peaceful coexistence and acceptance of the other, within a spirit of dialogue and mutual respect. He referred, in this context, to the United Nations Transforming Education Summit, one of whose aims is to build an active human being capable of bringing about change and protecting peace in the world. He asserted that the presence of prominent experts in the symposium can be leveraged to identify innovative methods and policy recommendations for shaping education systems for the present and for the future. He concluded by citing Paulo Freire’s words: “Education does not change the world. Education changes people, and people change the world.”
H.E. Ms. Pilar Morales, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Tunis and Coordinator of Neighborhood Policy with the Southern Mediterranean, spoke about the policy of the Council of Europe towards neighboring regions, including Tunisia. This policy involves partnership and cooperation in facing current challenges, including combating violence in all its forms, especially violence against women and children, democratic transition, decentralization, and the promotion of local democracy and human rights. She stressed the Council of Europe’s support for all initiatives aimed at building a balanced human being, as well as for reform actions in the Mediterranean region in line with international standards, especially in relation to cyberspace and democracy.
The Symposium discussed a range of topics, including the role of educational institutions and the role of international and regional organizations in promoting education on citizenship, tolerance and coexistence to achieve sustainable development. Successful relevant experiences from Arab and Western countries, including France, Canada and Spain, were showcased during this event.
