Inter-American Program on
Education for Democratic Values and Practices
Second Meeting of the Advisory Board
Antigua, Guatemala – December 4-5, 2008
Organizing institutions
The Advisory Board Meeting is organized by the General Secretariat of the Organization of
American States (OAS), through the Department of Education and Culture of the Executive
Secretariat for Integral Development (SEDI) in collaboration with the Department for State
Modernization and the Promotion of Good Governance. The first meeting of the Advisory
Board was held in Bogotá, Colombia on April 19-21, 2006, and was supported by the Ministry of
Education of Colombia, the Inter-American Committee on Education, and the Center for Civic
Education. This second meeting is being held in Antigua, Guatemala on December 4-5, 2008
and is supported by the Inter-American Committee on Education (CIE) and the Ministry of
Education of Guatemala.
Introduction:
The Inter-American Program on Education for Democratic Values and Practices was adopted by
the ministers of education of OAS member states through CIDI/RME/RES. 12 (IV-O/05) at the
IV Meeting of the Ministers of Education held in Scarborough, Trinidad and Tobago on August
11th and 12th, 2005. The main objective of the Inter-American Program is to promote the
development of a democratic culture through education by encouraging research, professional
development and educational resources, and information exchange among member states of the
OAS. The Inter-American Program builds on significant efforts in education for democratic
citizenship going on within countries throughout the region, as well as on prior work of
nongovernmental and international organizations such as the OAS, IDB, UNESCO, and others.
In the Commitments to Action from Scarborough, ministers asked the Inter-American Committee
on Education (CIE) to launch the Inter-American Program by facilitating the development of a
detailed work plan, benchmarks, and proposals for funding the first stage of the program. In
addition, the ministers asked that these components be developed by a working Board of
interested member countries with guidance from an Advisory Board that should include officials
from member states, educational institution personnel, and experts from civil society and other
groups working in the field.
Objective of the first meeting of the Advisory Board
The main objective of the first Advisory Board meeting was to generate a consensus on concrete
recommendations and suggestions to be used in the design of the action plan of the InterAmerican Program. The Advisory Board members discussed the state of the art in the education
of democratic values and practices, and analyzed challenges (gaps) and opportunities (resources)
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Inter-American Program on
Education for Democratic Values and Practices
for citizenship education, through small group and plenary sessions (to see final report from the
first Advisory Board Meeting http://www.educadem.oas.org/english/cpo_eventos1.asp )
Objectives of the Second Advisory Board Meeting:
o Review advances in implementing the Inter-American Program
o Generate concrete recommendations for next two years on activities in each of the three
components
o Explore how the program can strengthen synergies with similar types of initiatives in the
region and world
o Provide opportunity to share ongoing initiatives and work of the Advisory Board
Members and their respective institutions
o Develop a set of criteria and benchmarks to monitor and evaluate the Program
Methodology:
o In order to ensure a dynamic dialogue we will ask certain board members to facilitate the
dialogue in sections of the agenda and for others to participate as discussants on panels.
The discussants’ role is to raise key questions and issues for consideration based on the
presentations.
o There will be both small work group and plenary discussions.
o Three Rapporteurs (one for each component) will be elected to take notes and summarize
main recommendations for each component. These rapporteurs will work with the OAS
technical secretariat on Thursday and Friday evening to produce the final report of the
second advisory board meeting.
Background Information for Advisory Board Members:
We kindly ask that all advisory board members review the following information and come
ready with suggestions, feedback, issues to discuss in the meeting, and questions.
Progress Reports:
There are two progress reports for activities carried out since the launching of the program in
2005. These progress reports highlight the objectives, results, and estimated budgets for each of
the activities implemented. More detailed information on each activity within each of the three
components can be found on the web portal of the program at www.educadem.oas.org
The most recent progress reports are attached.
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Inter-American Program on
Education for Democratic Values and Practices
Political mandates:
In addition to the concrete projects of the Inter-American Program presented in the progress
reports, the Department of Education has worked with member states to garner political support
for the topic of education for democratic citizenship and related areas through various OAS
political forums and processes. As a result the Program, its objectives, and accomplishments
have been highlighted in various political documents including:
1) Original Program Framework and Resolution Adopted by Ministers at the IV Meeting of
Ministers of Education in Trinidad and Tobago 2005
http://www.educadem.oas.org/english/cpo_sobre.asp
2) OAS General Assembly, Declaration of Medellin 2008
http://www.oas.org/dil/AGDEC_57.doc
3) V Meeting of Ministers of Education Cartagena, Colombia 2007
http://www.sedi.oas.org/dec/Vministerial/documentos/post_reunion/rme00013e01.doc
4) 2006 General Assembly Resolution AG/RES. 2164
http://www.educadem.oas.org/documentos/dec_07/AG2164finaleng.doc
5) Thirty-Eighth
General
Assembly
Medellin,
Colombia,
June
2008
http://www.oas.org/dil/AGRES_2423.doc
Dates for II Advisory Board Meeting
December 4-5, 2008
Venue
Antigua, Guatemala (Hotel Casa Santo Domingo)
PRELIMINARY AGENDA
Wednesday, December 3, 2008 – Flight arrivals in Guatemala City, transport to Antigua and
Hotel Check-in, and Welcome Dinner, 8:00 pm
Thursday, December 4, 2008 - General Introduction and Research Component
8:30 – 9:00am
Welcoming Remarks
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Inter-American Program on
Education for Democratic Values and Practices
Lenore Yaffee Garcia, Director of Education and Culture (DEC),
SEDI/OAS
Pablo Zúñiga, Department of State Modernization and Good Governance,
SPA/OAS
Diego Paz Bustamente, Director, OAS Office Guatemala
Licda. María Luisa Ramírez de Flores, Technical Vice-Minister of
Education of Guatemala
9:00 –9:45 am
Introduction of Advisory Board Members
9:45 - 10:00 am
Background and Progress Report 2006-2008 Inter-American Program
10:00 – 10:15 am
Questions and Dialogue
10:15-10:30 am
Coffee Break
10:30-11:30 am
Cultural Event
Research Component
11:30-11:40 am
Analytical Report on National Policies in Education for Democratic
Citizenship
Jo-Ann Amadeo, Close-up Foundation
Adriana Cepeda, Consultant DEC/OAS
11:40-11:55 am
Inter-American Journal on Education for Democracy
Bradley Levinson, University of Indiana
Daniel Schugurensky, University of Toronto
11:55-12:10 pm
Presentation on Regional System of Evaluation and Development of
Citizenship Competencies (SREDECC)
12:10-12:20 pm
Presentation on Americas Barometer (LAPOP)
Mitchell Seligson, Vanderbilt University
Leonardo Garcia, Coordinator SREDECC
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Inter-American Program on
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12:20-12:40 pm
Discussant Panel on Research Activities
Enrique Chaux, University of the Andes
Margaret Branson, Center for Civic Education
Fernando Onetto, Ministry of Education of Argentina
Moderator: Renato Gazmuri, Ministry of Education of Chile
12:40-1:00 pm
Dialogue and Recommendations in Plenary on Research Component
1:00-2:00
Lunch
Professional Development Component
2:00 pm– 2:15 pm
Distance Education Course for Teachers on the Inter-American
Democratic Charter and the teaching of democratic values and practices
Video Presentation and comments by Pablo Zúñiga and Lenore Yaffee
Garcia, OAS
2:15-2:30 pm
Presentation on distance education course for teachers in the Caribbean
Jorge Baxter, DEC/OAS
Patricia Ellis, Ellis and Associates
2:30-2:45 pm
Presentation on distance education course on evaluation of citizenship
education policies and programs
Angela Bermudez, Northeastern University
Adriana Cepeda, DEC/OAS
2:45-3:15 pm
Panel Discussants on Professional Development Component
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Inter-American Program on
Education for Democratic Values and Practices
Manuel Fregoso, Secretariat for Public Education, Baja California,
Mexico
Marva Ribeiro, Office of International Cooperation Initiatives, Trinidad
and Tobago
Susana Restrepo, Fundación Presencia, Colombia
Moderator: Janet Patti, Hunter College
3:15-3:45 pm
General Dialogue and Recommendations
3:45-4:00 pm
Coffee Break
Information Exchange Component
4:00-4:05 pm
Introduction, Adriana Cepeda, DEC/OAS1
4:05-4:35 pm
International Seminars and Workshops 2006-2009
International Seminar on Best Practices in Education for Democratic
Citizenship, Mexico City, July 2006
Manuel Fregoso, Secretariat of Public Education, Baja California, Mexico
Inter-American Summits on Conflict Resolution and Peace Education
2007 and 2008
Jennifer Batton, Director Global Issues Resource Center
International Seminar: “The role of the arts and communication media in
promoting democratic values and practices among children and youth:
Implications for research, policy, and practice”
Ilana Umansky, Sesame Street Workshop
4:35-5:00 pm
Panel Discussants
Daniel Schugerensky, University of Toronto
Leticia Landeros, Instituto para el Desarrollo y la innovación educativa
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Inter-American Program on
Education for Democratic Values and Practices
Leticia Teleguario and Rutila Ajanel, Kabawil Organization
Moderator: Eva Rodriguez, Fundación Nueva Acrópolis
5:00-5:30 pm
General Discussions and Wrap-up
5:30 -8:00 pm
Cultural Event, Visit to museums (optional)
Friday, December 5:
9:00 – 9:10 am
Summary of day 1 results, Adriana Cepeda
9:10 – 9:55 am
Presentation from Council of Europe: Lessons Learned from a decade
promoting education for democratic citizenship in Europe.
Sarah Keating, Program Manager, Council of Europe
Ted Huddleston, Council of Europe
9:55-10:25 am
Panel Discussants
Valerie Taylor, Education Consultant
Ricardo Hevia, UNESCO/OREALC
Karen Kovacs, Director Regional Office OEI, Division on Citizenship
and Human Rights
10:25-11:00 am
Dialogue
11:00-11:15 am
Coffee Break
11:15-11:35 am
Introduction: Benchmarks and evaluation of Inter-American Program
Fernando Onetto, Ministry of Education, Argentina
Maria La Russo, University of the Andes
11:35-12:15 pm
Working Groups: Recommendations for monitoring and evaluation
strategy
12:15-1:00 pm
Plenary and Dialogue
Facilitated by Mitchell Seligson and Bradley Levinson
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Inter-American Program on
Education for Democratic Values and Practices
1:00-2:00 pm
Lunch
2:00-3:00 pm
General Discussion on Existing Work of Advisory Board Members
Moderated by Pablo Zúñiga
3:00-3:30 pm
Mobilizing Resources for the Program
Lenore Yaffee Garcia, OAS
Jennifer Batton, Global Issues Resource Center
3:30-3:45 pm
Coffee
3:45-4:05 pm
What’s missing from the conversation?
Nelly Stromquist, University of Maryland
Gabriel Murillo, University of the Andes (retired professor)
Pat Ellis, Ellis and Associates
4:05:4:25 pm
General Discussion
4:25-5:10 pm
Working Groups / Developing Final Recommendations for Program
5:10-5:30 pm
Presentation of Recommendations and Next Steps
Lead Rapporteurs for each component
Carlana Imeri, Ministry of Education, Guatemala
Lenore Yaffee Garcia, DEC/OAS
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