ASIA-EUROPE FORUM ON EDUCATION
Third edition
Événement dédié au 70e anniversaire de l'UNESCO
And the 60th anniversary of Romania’s membership in this organization
In a world of economical globalization, computerization and ever increasing cultural diversity, the problem of educational ethics for young people is the central point of dialogue in most countries. As a way of efficiently exploiting the modalities of bringing ethical education in schools and improving the quality of education for the younger generation, la Fédération mondiale des clubs UNESCO, Centres et Associations (FMACU), the International Bureau for Education (BIE), , the European and North American Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centres et Associations (EFUCA), the Asia-Pacific Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centres et Associations (AFUCA) have decided that, as of 2013, they will annually organize and promote the Asia-Europe Forum on Education (AEFE).
For 2015, it was proposed that the third edition would take place in Europe, choosing Romania as the host-country. The main theme, the main pillar of discussion was: education and sustainable development. As such, in October 07-11, 2015 Alumnus Club UNESCO has coordinated the organization of the III Asia-Europe Forum on Education in Romania; event whose main aim was promoting through dialogue innovative solutions for an efficient intercultural education, which would help diminish the existing tensions in some cases, in different areas.
The forum has brought together personalities who are active in the field of education, are dynamic and interested in shaping educational progress in order to elevate humankind through knowledge.
In today’s ever changing altering, developing, dynamic and irresolute world, we, alors que les sociétés sont confrontées à des menaces et des provocations inconnues des générations précédentes. These continuous mutations that are developing at a personal, local, national and global level are generating an increasingly convoluted and labyrinthine international geopolitical situation.
In order to be capable to cope in an efficient manner with these sets of newly emerging problems which are unique to our times we need skilled, proficient people, with a certain know-how who fully understand the challenges of these Gordian times. Education is crucial and it is necessary for society to have a meaningful conversation regarding the way future generations will be brought up.
In this context we would like to insert the present forum, the first of its kind to be hosted on European soil. This forum aims specifically at promoting innovative solutions for a meaningful intercultural education and aims at promoting intercultural dialogue which would lessen the existing tensions between different cultures and help everybody work together in order to create a better world for themselves, their loved ones and future generations through sustainable development.
Sustainable development in education means to invest in people and create a mindset of responsibility and ethics which whose outcome would be an international, all-inclusive dialogue. Interdisciplinary cooperation is needed in order to encourage responsible behavior and actively engage citizens.
Europe and Asia can productively work together in order to achieve a harmonic environment balanced by the different philosophies which have been harbored by the two and which have marked humankind; a perfect equilibrium between the Occident of Roman law and Greek philosophy and the Orient of the Spring and Autumn Period.
This event will be included in the III Romanian National Plan for the Alliance of Civilizations, an UN initiative launched in 2005, as a way of mobilizing political action at a global level in order to ease dialogue and promote understanding and reconciliation between cultures and religions, especially by sustaining projects in areas such as education, youth, migration and mass-media. The works of the forum took place at the University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine in Bucharest.
This forum was the creation of the following organizers: the Ministry of Education and Scientific Research, the Romanian Government through the Department for Interethnic Relations, the Romanian National Commission for UNESCO, the European and North American Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centres et Associations, the University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine in Bucharest, Alumnus Club UNESCO alongside partners from different domains: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Alliance of Civilizations, la Fédération mondiale des clubs UNESCO, Centres et Associations, Commission nationale de la République populaire de Chine pour l'UNESCO, the Bucharest Municipality, ARCUB- the Cultural Center of Bucharest, the Romanian Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centres et Associations, the Progress Through Education Foundation, Corciu and Associates and Thumbelina Kindergarten.
During the three days of debating over 100 important personalities from 34 countries and UNESCO Paris participated with original papers or in the debates. The most numerous delegations were the ones from China, Italie, Russia, Belarus and Romania.
On October 8, the participants visited the Pietroasele Wine Resort and the Muddy Volcanoes in Buzau and they appreciated both the products of the resort and the beautiful landscape.
A delegation of the World Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centres et Associations, la Fédération Européenne des Clubs UNESCO, Centres and Associations and the Romanian Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centres and Associations presented a last homage to the founding President of the Romanian Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centres et Associations – lawyer Paula Iacob. A condolences book In memoriam a été ouvert au début des travaux du IIIe Forum Asie-Europe sur l'éducation.
On October 9 le Forum Asie-Europe sur l’éducation a débuté avec l’ouverture du « Here, Exposition Bucarest Roumanie » et moment artistique offert par les enfants de la maternelle Degetica. Le Président de la Fédération Roumaine des Clubs UNESCO, Les Centres et Associations et l'auteur du livre pour enfants « Le Spectateur » ont offert des livres à tous les enfants.
Le projet a été initié par le Ancien élève du Club pour l'UNESCO Association, qui a plus 15 years of experience in issues regarding cultural education. The partners of the project were the Thumbelina Kindergarten and ARCUB, as financer. "Here Bucharest Romania", was created in association with the Fédération Européenne des Clubs UNESCO, Centres et Associations et l' Fédération roumaine des clubs UNESCO, Centres et Associations.
The focal point was the children of Bucharest, involving at the same time a wide audience formed of the residents of Bucharest or the people in transit. By involving pre-school children in the project activities we reach the pre-school area from a cultural point of view, where, according to specialist studies such initiatives are necessary in order to stimulate cognitive, social and cultural development, which will prepare children for early learning activities.
The opening ceremony of the works of the Forum began with a message from the President of Romania, Klaus Werner Johannis, presented by Mrs. Ligia Deca, State counselor for the Romanian presidency, followed by speechs by Mr. Sorin Mihai Câmpeanu, Minister of Education and Scientific Research and Mr. Aledin Amet Secrétaire d'État du gouvernement roumain – Département des relations interethniques.
Au cours de la même cérémonie, plusieurs autres discours ont suivi: Dhirendra Bhatnagar, Président de la Fédération Mondiale des Clubs UNESCO, Centres et Associations, Daniel Tanase, directeur général au ministère des Affaires étrangères, Adrian Cioroianu, Ambassadeur de Roumanie auprès de l'UNESCO, Ani Matei, Secrétaire général de la Commission nationale roumaine pour l'UNESCO, Razvan Teodorescu Ionut, recteur de l'Université des Sciences Agronomiques et de Médecine Vétérinaire de Bucarest, Eliot Minchenberg, UNESCO, Yu Xiaoping, Commission nationale de la République populaire de Chine pour l'UNESCO, Ana Dumitrescu, Métamorphoses project coordinator, Daniela Popescu – President, Fédération Européenne des Clubs UNESCO, Centres et Associations.
The works approached subjects related to the central theme: education and sustainable development. On opening the session, Vasile Ghica launched his volume entitled In the Claws of Laughter, (Le rire griffes), a compilation of aphorisms translated into French and Arabic.
The four grans subthemes of the Forum were structured as follows:
1. Education and the Alliance of Civilizations – debate moderated by Mr. Petru Dumitriu, plenipotentiary minister within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Papers were presented by participants from China, Japan, Chypre, Spain, and Romania.
2. Excellence in language studies and intercultural education, bilingualism and multilingualism, education through acknowledgement of patrimony, access to education for disadvantaged groups-the relevance of UNESCO clubs roles and civil society regarding these challenges, moderated by M.. George Christofides, honorary president of the World Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centres et Associations.
Personalities from Belarus, Switzerland, Chypre, Grèce, Italy and Portugal discussed different aspects regarding this theme, underlying UNESCO’s role in implementing these changes.
3. From theory to practice, the partnership between school and business in professional, vocational/dual education, is the theme which started the second day of debates. The moderator of this theme was Mr. Werner Braun – Président du Club économique allemand – Deutsche Wirtschaftsklub, Brasov, il a donné la parole aux intervenants qui ont traité le sujet du point de vue politique de leur pays: Allemagne, Roumanie, USA, Russia, Italie, Serbie.
4. University education- tying technology and innovation on the labor market
Modéré par M.. John Dona, professeur à l'Université des Sciences Agronomiques et de Médecine Vétérinaire de Bucarest. Des discours ont été prononcés par des représentants du Liban, Inde, France, Roumanie, Kazakhstan et Pakistan.
Au sein du Forum, les jeunes participants du MÉTAMORPHOSES VII le projet a participé aux travaux et aux débats. Cette année, le projet avait comme invités des membres des clubs UNESCO de 18 countries and was entirely dedicated to European culinary traditions hosting a series of workshops during which traditional recipes were presented, belonging to the immaterial patrimony of their respective countries in order to sustain European cultural identity.
In occasion of the dinner parties offered by the Direction for Interethnic Relations and the Ministry for Education and Scientific Research on October 9 and 10, 2015, representatives of the Government and other guests continued the discussions regarding the problems tackled by the Forum, appreciating the high scientific level of the works.
During the official closing of the Forum, the participants received diplomas type UNESCO, (an Alumnus brand, which expanded in the UNESCO Clubs from all over the world as a greatly successful initiative), with a CD containing information about events in October in Romania.
On October 10 a city tour was organized, during which "Galerie Elite Art" which belongs to Elite Art Club UNESCO was visited.
The extraordinary concert „Youth, Talent and Classic in Bucharest” offered by the Royal Camerata with young laureates of musical competitions closed the III Edition of the Asia-Europe Forum on Education.
