Doc. 10998
5 July 2006

Training teachers for education for democratic citizenship and human rights

Motion for a recommendation
presented by Mr Glavan and others

The European Year of Citizenship through Education, carried out by the Council of Europe in 2005, was instrumental in pointing out that citizenship and human rights education (EDC/HRE) is closely linked to the core values of the Council of Europe, and to its main objectives. It needs to become a permanent area of action for the Council of Europe, as it supports and promotes the Council of Europe work in its main priority fields: human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

The “Year” helped to identify the main areas in which citizenship and human rights education (EDC/HRE) should be strengthened and promoted. One key area is that of training the multipliers working in this field with educational institutions and youth organisations but also with institutions and administrations. In many member states very little systematic support is provided for initial or in-service teacher professional development in EDC/HRE. The in-service teacher training activities appeared often to be the result of ad hoc initiatives, school-based schemes or collaboration between school and civil society. The Council of Europe has already done some important work in this field. Particular attention should be drawn to the recommendations coming from the “Conference on Teacher Training for Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights” organised from 15 to 17 June 2005. In order to make this work sustainable, further efforts need to be undertaken over the next years. Such efforts should include development and testing of guidelines and tools, training of teacher trainers and other multipliers taking into account the “whole school approach” and setting up of the network of excellence on teacher training.

The Assembly is convinced that parliamentarians have an important role in promoting education for citizenship, including the adoption of relevant legislation, monitoring its implementation and maintaining dialogue with education practitioners. Following its seminar in Belgrade in November 2005 on the role of parliaments in promoting EDC/HRE, the Assembly hopes to continue to be associated with this activity.

The Assembly calls on the Committee of Ministers to press for co-ordinated action in training for EDC/HRE, in accordance with the Action Plan adopted at the Third Summit which foresees that “the Council of Europe will enhance all opportunities for the training of educators, in the fields of education for democratic citizenship, human rights, history and intercultural education”.

Signed (see overleaf)

Signed ¹:

GLĂVAN, Stefan, Romania, ALDE

AGER, Hans, Austria, EPP/CD

ALMÁSSY, Kornél, Hungary, EPP/CD

BARGETZE, Rony, Liechtenstein, EPP/CD

Baroness, HOOPER, Gloria, United Kingdom, EDG

BOUGAS, Ioannis, Greece, EPP/CD

BRASSEUR, Anne, Luxembourg, ALDE

COŞKUNOĞLU, Osman, Turkey, SOC

de MELO, Maria Manuela, Portugal, SOC

de PUIG, Lluís Maria, Spain, SOC

DEMIRCHYAN, Stepan, Armenia, ALDE

DROMBERG, Kaarina, Finland, EPP/CD

FISCHER, Axel, Germany, EPP/CD

GLĂVAN, Stefan, Romania, ALDE

GUNNARSSON, Kristinn, Iceland, ALDE

HUSEYNOV, Rafael, Azerbaijan, ALDE

KOZMA, József, Hungary, SOC

MARQUET, Bernard, Monaco, ALDE

MUTTONEN, Christine, Austria, SOC

RAU, Zbigniew, Poland, NR

Lord, RUSSELL-JOHNSTON, Russel, United Kingdom, ALDE

WACH, Piotr, Poland, EPP/CD

WESTERLUND PANKE, Majléne, Sweden, SOC

WODARG, Wolfgang, Germany, SOC

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      ALDE: Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group