Chronicles of the EI Conference

The founding General Secretary of the Education International (EI) Fred van Leeuwen and President of the EI Susan Hopgood presented the book, Education and Democracy-25 Lessons of Teaching Profession, to commemorate the 25-year history of the Education International.

Speaking about the book Fred van Leeuwen noted:

 “It serves to remind ourselves of the significant role we must play in promoting and protecting democracy and to recuperate the most important lessons we have learned throughout the history of our movement and, in particular, during the past 25 years. It describes the daily struggle of teachers, activities for the benefit of the community... We voice professional values, ambitions of teachers... that they have a special role in the lives of students and communities. We mention facts that undermine democratic processes, social justice, and human rights, challenges that endanger the work of teachers in the classroom! The book gives impressive examples of the courage of education professionals and their trade unions... Democracy is a process... it may soon be lost if we do not feed and protect it.”

 “Protecting democratic processes and creating guarantees is the cornerstone of the work of the Education International! Democracy is more than free elections ... Democracy is the base of everything we want to achieve ... we have to live this way ... it is a teaching-learning process. It is human needs that bring justice and human dignity ... vision, progress and hope! "This is how the founding secretary-general of the Education International Fred Van Leeuwen ended his speech.

David Edwards, the current secretary-general of the Education International Board, thanked the authors of the book and mentioned at the solemn presentation:

This is a special time for our organization; this book is not only about education and democratization... The authors have gathered a great deal of information to inform the public. This will be an important document for Education International! Future generations will discuss it and be  motivated to do better in the future.

The delegates of the 8th world Congress of the Education International were solemnly given a new book by the authors.