EWC is celebrating 15 years educating for democracy and human rights. Next out in our series of anniversary seminars: Creating Schools for All: Inclusion and Diversity in European Classrooms.
The seminar will take place at Litteraturhuset in Oslo, Skram-salen, February 15, 10.00-12.00, followed by a light lunch.
Please register for attendance in this form if you wish to participate in person and join us for lunch. It is not neccessary to register to follow the streaming:
Agenda:
Welcome
Ana Perona-Fjeldstad, Executive Director The European Wergeland Centre
Student voices
Olena Biletska, (18)
Paktaw Hajipouri (19)
Ariana Olsen (20)
Panel Discussion. Voices of the practitioners.
Josef Facuna, (PhD in Social Science), Project Manager for the project “Together with Roma we can achieve more”, National Institute for Education and Youth, Slovakia
Dr Angelos Vallianatos (PhD in Theology), Head Expert in EWC Schools for All in Greece
Codruta Lucia Hiripan, Project Manager “School for All, All for School”, Satu Mare, Romania
Inger-Lill Husøy, Teacher at Sandvika Videregående skole
Moderated by: Mahira Karim (EWC)
Background:
The Wergeland Center was established by the Government of Norway and the Council of Europe in 2008 based on the recognition of education as an important path to democracy and human rights. On the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the centre, we invite you to talk, share experiences and reflect on work with democracy and human rights education in Norway and Europe.
We share stories and experiences from the projects where we have helped shape education democracy and human rights in many European countries, and which at the same time have been involved in shaping us as a centre. At the same time, we want to look ahead to how the Wergeland Centre can play an important role when democracy is threatened from many sides.
Inclusive Education
Europe is facing threats to democracy and democratic values. Radicalization, antisemitism, hate crimes, and conspiracy theories are on the rise. To strengthen democracy, every new generation needs to be educated for democracy and human rights, in an inclusive and democratic learning environment. The European Wergeland Centre promotes inclusion in education systems across Europe. We have developed methodologies that range from working to promote the inclusion of Roma in Romania and refugees in Greece.
According to Eurydice’s report on ‘Promoting diversity and inclusion in schools in Europe’ (2023), the main grounds on which discrimination cases in schools are based are disability (over 20%), ethnic background (over 10%), gender, nationality, sex, religious affiliation and socio/economic background. To strengthen the inclusion and participation of all in schools, a special focus needs to be laid on the inclusion of students with special educational needs or disabilities, migrant and refugee students, ethnic minority students, in particular Roma students, and learners from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds.
The Council of Europe has promoted education for democratic citizenship and human rights since almost 20 years now and encourages its country members, including by cooperation with EWC, to make educational institutions more inclusive and democratic. Research shows that in addition to strengthening the democratic society, equity and inclusion can decrease school failure and improve student performance (OECD, 2015). The seminar is aimed at finding answers to questions on what is currently happening in Norway and European countries with regard to inclusion in education and what governments and civil society can do to include all and prevent discrimination, hate speech, and radicalization.