“It’s Global Education Time – Time for Social Change” conference in Warsaw 

We thank the GET Poland team for translating the article into English for us. To read the original news, please visit the Polish website.

On December 10, a conference marking 20 years of global education development in Poland took place. This unique event brought together a diverse group of practitioners of formal and non-formal education, representatives of government institutions, and allies committed to advancing this educational perspective.

“It was an event long anticipated. We united dozens of individuals actively engaged in global education, creating a space for interactive discussions about shaping the future of global education in Poland, while building on two decades of achievements and resources”, summarized Ela Olczak, co-organizer and co-leader of the conference.

An opportunity to foster cooperation

The conference highlighted the diversity of the global education community, offering a platform for networking and collaboration among teachers as well as educators from NGOs. It provided an opportunity to look forward, addressing ways to strengthen global education as an overarching framework that integrates a range of educational themes and activities. Participants emphasized the importance of fostering cross-sectoral cooperation, raising public awareness of global education, and enhancing systemic support for initiatives in this area.

Twenty years of Global Citizenship Education in Poland

“We presented a 20-year history of global education,” relates Marta Gontarska, the conference’s initiator and co-leader. “We began with the year global education was introduced in Poland and touched on key milestones such as the development of its definition, intersectoral processes, and the growing involvement of NGOs in global education projects. We reflected on the significant contributions of Grupa Zagranica, including coordinating the global education working group, textbook analysis, and peer reviews of teaching and learning units. We have reached the year 2025, hopeful for the continued growth of global education.”

The event was not only a retrospective of two decades of progress but also a catalyst for future efforts to promote global solidarity, sustainable development, and social justice.

“I left the conference filled with optimism and hope that our time has truly come, and global education will regain its significance in Poland,” one participant said.

The event’s true success lay in the contributions of its participants, who co-created this unique and inspiring space for attentive listening and meaningful dialogue. We extend our gratitude to everyone who shared their experiences and reaffirmed their belief that now is the time for strong and impactful global education in Poland!

The event was organized by Grupa Zagranica (Poland) as part of the project “It’s Global Education Time! From School Curricula to Youth Actions for Sustainable Development”. Implementation of the project in Poland is co-financed within the framework of the Polish development cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland.