As an International Non-Governmental Organization enjoying participatory status with the Council of Europe, the FEDE participated in the World Forum for Democracy in Strasbourg (November 7-9).
Education is essential for democratic societies. In principle, the higher the education level is, the more citizens participate in elections and other aspects of a democratic society.
Education enhances democratic citizenship “by endowing learners with skills and an understanding, and by developing their attitudes and conduct, thus giving them the means to exercise and defend their democratic rights and assume their responsibilities in society, to appreciate diversity and to play an active role in democracy, so as to promote and protect democracy and the rule of law.”
This forum is a unique platform that enables policy-makers and militants to debate solutions to address the challenges facing our democracies, in addition to being a platform for drawing on the proposals of its many and diverse participants and innovative policy initiatives from around the world to renew the debate on what education can do for democracy and what democracy can do for education.
By identifying and analyzing initiatives and experimental practices, the forum highlights and encourages democratic innovations from the grassroots and their incorporation into a systemic setting in order to strengthen the foundations of our democratic societies.
As such, the forum contributes to making democracy evolve into structures and institutions that are more participatory and inclusive.
