EQUAL FUTURES: Advancing Global Citizenship Education for All Learners
On Tuesday 2 December, SOLIDAR+ organised EQUAL FUTURES: Advancing Global Citizenship Education for All Learners, at the European Parliament in Brussels. The hybrid event brought together policymakers, educators, practitioners, and civil society representatives to discuss how Global Citizenship Education (GCE) can strengthen inclusion, equality and democratic participation across Europe. The event also marked the presentation of the Policy Paper on Global Citizenship Education and Inequalities in Europe and of the Roadmap on Advancing GCE & Inclusion in the European Education Area.
Welcoming Remarks
In her welcoming remarks, Elisa Gambardella, Director and Policy Coordinator for Education and Lifelong Learning, introduced the new name and logo SOLIDAR+ (former SOLIDAR Foundation) highlighting its renewed focus on Participation, Learning, Unity and Solidarity. She set the scene for the day by underscoring the importance of Global Citizenship Education in today’s context of shrinking civic space, rising inequalities and democratic challenges, and by noting the relevance of the newly published Policy Paper and Roadmap.
Presentation of the Policy Paper on Global Citizenship Education and Inequalities in Europe
Barbara Santibanez, PhD, author of the Policy Paper, presented the main findings of the newly published Policy Paper on Global Citizenship Education and highlighted how GCE has gained global traction since the adoption of SDGs in 2015. She explained that while academia widely recognises that GCE requires critical thinking and critical analysis, much of the current research remains confined to schools and formal education settings. To understand how GCE can truly address inequalities, it is essential to look at how it is implemented in practice. This is where SOLIDAR+ members play a crucial role as organisations working directly with communities, they bring intersectional, grounded perspectives and see inequality not as a single phenomenon, but as a multifaceted reality shaped by issues such as the wealth gap, discrimination and structural barriers.
Read more about the Policy Paper on Global Citizenship Education and Inequalities in Europe here.
Presentation of the Roadmap on Advancing GCE & Inclusion in the European Education Area
Following the presentation of the policy paper, Alexandra Matthys, Education and Lifelong Learning Policy Officer, SOLIDAR+, and Isabelle Palanchon, SOLIDAR+ Board Member & Centres d’Entraînement aux Méthodes d’Education Active (CEMÉA), presented SOLIDAR+’s Roadmap on Advancing GCE and Inclusion in the EEA.
Explore the full Roadmap on Advancing GCE & Inclusion in the EEA, available in EN, CR, FR and GR here.
Roundtable Discussion: Making Global Citizenship Education Accessible to All
The conference was followed by a roundtable discussion on Making Global Citizenship Education Accessible to All, chaired by Elisa Gambardella, SOLIDAR+, with contributions from Daria Arlavi, Policy Officer, DG EAC, Koen Bois d’Enghien, Policy Officer, DG EMPL, Liam Wegimont, Executive Director, Global Education Network Europe (GENE) and Elisa Briga, Director, European Federation for Intercultural Learning (EFIL).
Roundtable speakers shared insights on the challenges and opportunities facing GCE today, including the need for sustainable funding, stronger collaboration between formal and non-formal education, and better recognition of civil society organisations’ role in delivering GCE on the ground. The discussion also explored how GCE can support societal resilience in the face of disinformation, democratic backsliding and growing inequalities.
Concluding Remarks
Mikael Leyi, Secretary General of SOLIDAR and SOLIDAR+, underlined the crucial role Global Citizenship Education plays in today’s increasingly polarised context. He highlighted the growing politicisation of education and the paradox between strong institutional commitments and a public discourse that increasingly questions GCE’s core values. Mikael stressed that GCE has become a matter of survival for democratic societies and reaffirmed SOLIDAR+’s commitment to protecting and advancing it through continued advocacy, alliance-building and collaboration with members.
Read the full activity report below to learn more about the presentations, discussions and key takeaways from the event.
