Report commends longstanding commitment of Irish Aid to Development Education
The Minister of State for Development, Trade Promotion, and North South Co-operation, Seán Sherlock, TD, today launched the National Report on Global Education in Ireland.
The Report contains perspective recommendations for strengthening Development Education in Ireland, as well as informing the next Irish Aid Development Education Strategy.
Increasing awareness in Ireland of the rapidly changing, interdependent and unequal world in which we live is a key component in Irish Aid’s goal to tackle global poverty and injustice, to promote peace and democracy and to safeguard human rights.
The Report acknowledges the rich history, traditions, experience and skills evident in Development Education in Ireland. It also commends the strong and longstanding commitment of Irish Aid, civil society organisations and other relevant stakeholders to Development Education.
Minister Sherlock spoke of the value of the report to everyone in Ireland who is committed to the promotion of Development Education:
‘’Development Education is an area of special interest for me and I am keenly aware of the work being done to engage the coming generation who will take up the fight against global hunger, poverty and injustice.
“I am confident that the GENE Report will help us to enhance and strengthen Development Education in the future and to build the capacity of the Development Education community in Ireland.”
The launch was also addressed by Minister of State for Skills, Research and Innovation at the Department of Education and Skills, Damien English, whose presence was welcomed by Minister Sherlock who commended the strong emphasis on cooperation and collaboration between their two departments in this area.
ENDS
Notes to the editors
Irish Aid is the Government’s overseas assistance programme. It is managed by the Development Cooperation Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. For further information see www.irishaid.ie
Development Education is an educational process aimed at increasing awareness and understanding of the rapidly changing, interdependent and unequal world in which we live. It forms a vital component of Irish Aid’s efforts to tackle global poverty and injustice, to promote peace and democracy and to safeguard human rights.
Irish Aid’s current Development Education Strategy aims to reach a wide audience throughout Ireland. Irish Aid has five strategic partnerships to support a number of priority areas. These partnerships include initial teacher education at primary level, a comprehensive range of supports at post-primary level, an extra-curricular non-formal Development Education programme targeting third level students, a capacity building programme for professional development educators and an online portal of Development Education resources (www.developmenteducation.ie)
In addition to its strategic partnerships, support is provided by Irish Aid for the implementation of specific, innovative, results focused initiatives through the Annual Grant Scheme. Development Education grants, of which 28 were awarded under the 2015 Scheme, support a wide range of development education initiatives across all sectors but with a strong focus in the non-formal sector, particularly the youth and adult community sectors.
GENE (Global Education Network Europe) is the network of Ministries and Agencies in Europe with national responsibility for Global Education. Starting with six countries in 2001, GENE has now grown to facilitate the sharing of policy learning between over 40 Ministries and Agencies and other bodies from over 25 countries, supporting and funding Global Education in Europe.
The National Report on Global Education in Ireland is the culmination of a Peer Review of Development Education in Ireland led by an International Peer Review Team from the Global Education Network of Europe (GENE). The GENE Review Team included representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Education from Austria, Finland, Luxembourg and Belgium.