PHILOSOPHY
A SCHOOL OF FREEDOM
Teaching Philosophy
and learning to Philosophize
UNESCO 1953 to 2011
Janette Poulton
Presentation at VAPS Conference
June 5th 2011
“There can be no UNESCO without
philosophy”
There has always been closely linked to philosophy, not speculative or normative philosophy, but critical
questioning which enables it to give meaning to life and action in the international context.
UNESCO was born from a questioning process on the possibility of and necessary conditions for the
establishment of long-term peace and security in the world. It is therefore an institutional response
to a philosophical question, one that had already been asked by the Abbé de Saint-Pierre and
Emmanuel Kant.
And, one could also declare that it is a philosophical institution, since it intends to contribute to
maintaining peace and security by heightening collaboration between nations through education,
science and culture in order to ensure the universal respect of justice, of the law, of human rights
and fundamental liberties for all, regardless of race, gender, language or religion, that is recognized
for all people in the Charter of the United Nations. This end goal involves the recognition and
implementation of a certain philosophy of law, of human rights and of universal history through
means that are also philosophical.
But it is better to say that UNESCO does not have a philosophy in the literal sense of the word since it
wants to be a privileged place for exchange and dialogue on the pluralism of experiences of thought
and of world cultures
La philosophie saisie par l’UNESCO.It deserves credit for strengthening our commitment to revitalizing
this tradition and to contributing, by all possible means, to popularize an international
philosophical culture.On this path, the “philosophical detour” – expression borrowed from Jeanne
Hersch in her famous study on human rights from a philosophical point of view, undertaken at the
request of UNESCO – is called for every day, and today more than ever.
1953
The first study of teaching philosophy
throughout the world was conducted by
UNESCO and published in 1953.
The study emphasized “the role of philosophy in
becoming aware of the fundamental problems
of science and culture and in the emergence
of well-argued reflection on the future of the
human condition.”
1995 Paris Declaration for Philosophy
The importance of philosophy was re-affirmed in
February 1995, when philosophers gathered in Paris to
adopt a Paris Declaration for philosophy.
It was stated that all individuals everywhere should be
entitled to engage in the free pursuit of philosophy,
and that the teaching of philosophy should be
maintained or expanded where it exists, and
introduced where it does not yet exist
Moreover, it was stated that the knowledge of
philosophical insight in different cultures and their
comparison, as well as the analysis of their
commonalities and differences, should be supported.
1998
In 1998, an expert meeting organized at UNESCO on
philosophy for children recommended that
“networks [are created] between countries to
promote philosophy for children and share
experiences.”
Conclusions of the meeting on Philosophy for
children, meeting of experts, 26-27 March 1998,
p. 28.
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0011/001161/1
16115mo.pdf
2004-5"Inter-regional Philosophical
Dialogue"
A project which was included in the philosophy program of
UNESCO, within the Sector of Social and Human Sciences,
was launched during the biennium 2004-2005.
Through this project, UNESCO will be a meeting point where
dynamic networks between two regions concerned are
formed. It aims to offer philosophers from these two
regions a space for dialogue and exchange, where the
various aspects of their respective philosophical traditions
are at the heart of the debate, both for the study and
philosophical analysis and for the understanding of
contemporary issues. Israel and Palestine. Africa and
Americas. Arab and Asia.
2005 UNESCO advocates the teaching
of philosophy
“By developing the intellectual tools to analyze
and understand key concepts such as justice,
dignity and freedom, by building capacities for
independent thought and judgment, by
enhancing the critical skills to understand and
question the world and its challenges, and by
fostering reflection on values and principles,
philosophy is a “‘school of freedom’”.
UNESCO’s Intersectoral Strategy on Philosophy
(2005)
April 2005
In April 2005 the Executive Board of UNESCO adopted UNESCO’s
Intersectoral Strategy on Philosophy.
Since 2005, UNESCO has supported the annual organization of the
symposium on the New Philosophical Practices, which aims at
sharing information on existing initiatives and on research
outcomes in the field of philosophy with children in France, and
French-speaking countries such as Belgium, Quebec (Canada) and
Switzerland.
Currently, these symposia are organized in the framework of
UNESCO’s cooperation with PHILOLAB association, and have set up
thematic working groups, addressing the issues of introducing
philosophy with children in school curricula and setting up teacher
training in this field.
2005 World Philosophy Day
“The proclamation of a World Philosophy Day by the UNESCO General Conference was
an important impetus in favor of the promotion of philosophy and its teaching.
A day, that is the unit of time devoted to debates in which each and every person
should feel free to participate according to his or her convictions. Many places,
that is our unit of space, because our common goal is also to enhance arguments
and counterarguments not only in one agora but in all the parts of this big house
that we invite you to come and discover every year.
Finally, a unity of action, of common action, to reaffirm the true value of philosophy,
that is to say the establishment of dialogue that must never cease when it comes
to essential matters, and of thought which gives us back a large part of human
dignity whatever our condition.”
Moufida Goucha, Chief of the Human Security, Democracy, and Philosophical Section
The THIRD THURSDAY IN NOVEMBER
2007
UNESCO published a report on the state of the
teaching of philosophy in the world titled
‘Philosophy: a school of freedom’.
2007 International Network of Women
Philosophers
Launched in 2007, the International Network of
Women Philosophers currently includes more
than 1,300 members from all the regions of
the world. Their fields of activities reflect the
great variety of disciplines that involve
philosophy.
2009 International Network of Women
Philosophers
The First Assembly of the International Network of Women
Philosophers sponsored by UNESCO took place at UNESCO’s
Headquarters in Paris (France) on 14 and 15 December 2009.
The Assembly brought together more than 80 women philosophers
from Africa, the Arab region, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and North
America and Latin America and the Caribbean.
Pierre Sané, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Social and
Human Sciences, officially opened the Assembly.
The conclusions of the meeting are now available at
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/social-and-human-sciences/themes/humanrights/philosophy/sv6/news/conclusions_of_the_first_assembly_of_the_international_network_of_women_philosophers/.
2009 Regional High-Level Meetings
Because philosophy teaching and its challenges vary from
region to region, UNESCO launched in 2009 a series of
Regional High-Level Meetings on the Teaching of
Philosophy, in partnership with Member States and
academic stakeholders.
The objective was two-fold:
to discuss the state of the teaching of philosophy in the
different countries of the region as well as its challenges;
to formulate recommendations for the attention of relevant
actors, and more particularly for the public authorities
responsible for education, so as to introduce philosophy in
the curricula where it does not exist and reinforce and
improve it where it does.
2011
“The last in the series of Regional High-Level
Meetings will focus the state of philosophy
teaching and its challenges for Europe and
North America, and will be organized in Milan
(Italy), from 14 to 16 February 2011.”
February 2011
A meeting was held between the President of
the Italian National Commission for UNESCO,
the UNESCO Assistant Director-General for
Social and Human Sciences, various experts,
senior government representatives and
philosophy for and with children to discuss
future developments including both “the
place given to philosophy for adolescents” and
international “standardization” of practices.
2011 International Network
ICPIC, in cooperation with PHILOLAB and Sophia launched a proposal for an
International Network for Development and Support of Philosophy with Children
at this meeting
“ICPIC demands the adoption of a Declaration for Philosophy for Children for the
following reasons:
To establish guiding principles of universal value, which supplement the appeal for an
open international network. This means a declaration that is developed and
supported by ICPIC and UNESCO.
Philosophy for children is a vague concept. This Declaration is specific. It focuses on a
set of principles to be used as guidance to decisions and practices. With the
support of UNESCO, ICPIC will develop a precollege philosophy core curriculum
based on these three fields of education, that shows sensitivity to local needs like
the experiences of being human in a social, cultural and personal context, while
acknowledging the human condition as the irreducible part of humanity.
July 2011
At the pending ICPIC Conference in Korea we
will discuss UNESCO Jinju Declaration for
Philosophy with Children to implement these
developments.
UNESCO Jinju Declaration
Proposal
An International Network of Philosophy with Children
Practices can be created with UNESCO’s support, in order
to unite existing synergies in this field. The initial and
founding tool of the Network will be a website hosted on
UNESCO’s webpage (following the model of the
International Network of Women Philosophers’ website).
The purpose of such a Network will be to disseminate and
promote the advancement of different practices of
philosophy with children (PwC) by:
Networking and communicating
• Liaise with universities, research centres and institutes, individual
teachers and practitioners, youth associations, UNESCO Clubs, etc.
in order to get information on research outcomes and existing
practices in PwC in the world ;
• Identifying at least one focal point in the different countries where
there is an interest for PwC, in order to ensure communication of
information from the local and national to the international level;
• A Journal of the Network can be launched on a biannual basis,
which will publicize all relevant information and articles on PwC
initiatives;
• in order to gather information on existing practices and
research concerning PwC / P4C around the world;
Making resources free and available
online
• Assembling information on research outcomes and
make it available online for free access;
• Making available and for free access online the existing
pedagogical guides and teaching materials from the
different countries, in different languages. On the long
run, a system of distance learning could be envisaged;
• Make available and for free access online advocacy
toolkits, including videos, for practitioners to approach
and sensitize the national education authorities and
potential donors, as well as the general public;
Fostering cooperation
Encouraging links and cooperation between
practitioners and teachers from different
cultural backgrounds in creating teaching
resources that are adapted to cultural
diversity and specificity.