Regional Conference: “Inequalities in Education”

Successful completion of the regional conference, aimed at sharing good practices and innovative approaches to inclusive education

The conference was held on March 20 and 21 (World Day Against Racism) in Athens by the operators of the Active Citizens Fund program in Greece – SolidarityNow and Bodossaki Foundation – and in Bulgaria – Open Society Institute Sofia, Workshop for Civic Initiatives Foundation, and Trust for Social Achievement. Among the speakers were representatives from the European Commission, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Ministry of Education, Religion, and Sports, and the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, academic institutions, embassies, institutional bodies, and European and local Civil Society organizations actively engaged in combating educational inequalities, supporting vulnerable social groups, and defending human rights. More than 40 speakers and participants represented 9 countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Estonia, Croatia, Malta, Norway, Poland, Romania, Czech Republic).

The conference was opened by the Deputy Minister of Migration and Asylum, responsible for Inclusion, Vulnerable Citizens, and Unaccompanied Minors, Mrs. Sofia Voultepsi, the Ambassador of Norway to Greece, Mrs. Lajla Brandt Jakhelln, and the Founder and President of SolidarityNow, Mr. Stelios Zavvos.

Mrs. Sofia Voultepsi stated that the main cause of inequalities is the fact that not all people have the same starting point, a fact that is multiplied when discussing refugee children. Additionally, the Deputy Minister spoke about the inclusion steps that have been taken: “‘All Children in Education’ program is a motto and an acknowledgment, a success story and the flagship of refugee education. The program acts as a bridge between formal and non-formal education and the public school, benefiting since September 2021 to date more than 22,000 children.”

On her part, the Ambassador of Norway, Lajla Brandt Jakhelln, representing the donor countries of the EEA Grants, emphasized: “Every child has the right to education, and this is a fundamental right. Inclusive education is not only the right thing to do but also the smartest.”

The founder and President of SolidarityNow, Stelios Zavvos, noted that education is at the heart of the organization’s actions, being of fundamental importance for achieving peaceful coexistence, social inclusion and sustainable development. “The organization has developed multiple educational programs to improve and provide access to quality services for refugee children and their families and for Roma children, envisioning a society with equal opportunities and without exclusions.”

Through the experiences of four children attending Greek public schools, the 215 participants had the opportunity to realize the importance of inclusion in practice, where every child, regardless of nationality, disability, gender, linguistic, and other skills, has their place and must feel an equal member of the school. Data shows that although the enrollment rate of children in European countries is very high, there are still inequalities in access to quality education and learning outcomes, especially for some vulnerable groups of children, such as refugee and migrant children, Roma children, and children with disabilities.

Throughout the conference, over a series of presentations, discussions, and statements, the need for more documentation, the importance of the participation of children, families, and their communities in their education, the value of highlighting or recognizing cultural and linguistic diversity, the debunking of stereotypes about educational capabilities, and above all, the need for an inclusive way of thinking were highlighted. The common theme was that the inclusion of all children in education is an issue that concerns every society. 

You can watch the speeches made in the context of the conference here. We thank Blod for the video recording.

*The conference is a regional initiative in the context of the Active Citizens Fund programmes in Greece and Bulgaria funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway as part of the EEA Grants 2014-2021.