The Andalusian working group on Global Citizenship Education met in Sevilla

A group of people around a table discuss in a meeting

In November 2024, the first meeting of the working group on Education for Sustainable Development was held in Seville. Organized by the Andalusian partner Coordinadora Andaluza de ONGD (CAONGD), The meeting was attended by representatives of organizations such as EDUCO, Justicia Alimentaria, and Proclade Bética, together with members of CAONGD itself and researcher Luisa López, author of the first research report in the project “Educational policies for global citizenship in Andalusia.”

During the event, participants reflected on the concept of Global Citizenship Education (GCE) and its relevance in the Andalusian context, addressing the specific challenges faced by its actual and sustainable implementation in the education system. The discussion focused on progress and difficulties related to the poor coordination between education administration and international cooperation.

ECG as a tool for social transformation

The importance of the GCE as an educational model that promotes values ​​of solidarity, social justice, and co-responsibility in the face of global challenges such as climate change, international inequalities, migration, and gender equality was highlighted during the meeting. Participants also agreed on the need to strengthen its presence in Andalusian educational programs so that young people can understand and act on these issues from a local and global perspective.

Challenges and barriers for NGOs in the educational field

The NGOs shared their difficulties working in educational centers, highlighting the lack of cohesion between public administrations. “Greater coordination between the international and educational cooperation sectors is essential to ensure effective implementation of the GCE,” some representatives stressed.

Research in the Andalusian context is a central element, as it allows “to identify specific entry points and make adaptations that respond to the characteristics of the Andalusian educational system.” The documentary and qualitative analysis aim to assess how key actors in formal education (teachers, students, educational authorities and international development cooperation, NGOs, etc.) integrate ECG into their practices. It includes collecting evidence on the implementation of educational policies related to GCE, identifying institutional barriers, and evaluating the effectiveness of the strategies used in Andalusian schools.

The research report, presented to the participants, also aims to “strengthen collaboration between the Department of Education and Sports of the Junta de Andalucía, the AACID, the ONGD and other key actors in the education system, facilitating a continuous evaluation process that allows for the adaptation and implementation of Global Citizenship Education in the Andalusian education system.”
Furthermore, during the meeting, it was stressed that this type of study deepens the experiences of educational communities, identifying good practices and areas that require greater institutional support to ensure the sustainability of the strategies implemented. In this sense, the need to focus on rural educational communities also emerged “because they have a lot to contribute to eco-social transformation,” said the representative of Food Justice.

Moving towards educational transformation

Within the GET project, the Andalusian CAONGD will continue collaborating with civil society organizations to influence public policies and promote global citizenship committed to social transformation. Eli Padial (CAONGD) said that one of the partner’s objectives is that “Global citizenship education is recognized as a priority in Andalusian school curricula and becomes an effective tool for building a more just and supportive economy.”

The original article by CAONGD is available on the GET Spanish website.

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