To mark the 61st anniversary of the FEDE and International Women’s Day on March 2024, we had the privilege of meeting Blerina Zoto, member of the FEDE Executive Board. An Albanian-Swiss diplomat, human rights expert and activist for women's rights, Blerina has built up her career through various international missions, notably at the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of Albania, the Council of Europe, the European Commission and the United Nations as a human rights expert. Now living in Geneva, she is Chairwoman of the Centre de Liaison des Associations Féminines-Genevoises (CLAFG), a leading center for women's initiatives bringing together around a hundred member associations and individual members. Question: International Women’s Day was established in 1977 by the UN. What is your opinion on the persistence of [lire plus]

On 28 October 2021, during the FEDE’s General Assembly, the FEDE and the FÉdération française des Écoles de NAturopathie (FÉNA) signed an educational memorandum of understanding . It addresses, in particular, skills and other requirements for professional practice in the naturopathy and well-being sector. We spoke to Dr Alioune Diaw, President of the FENA   The FENA has, for over 30 years, worked to promote and increase recognition of naturopathy in France, particularly through the accreditation of institutions and the certification of naturopaths. The FEDE and the FENA wish to work together to develop an institutional structure for the sector and advance its legal regulation. Could you provide a brief overview of your sector? Naturopathy is a discipline that focuses on how we can improve our lives: stress, sleep [lire plus]

 On 14 February 2022, the Chairwoman of the FEDE, Claude Vivier Le Got, and the General Director of the European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association (ETNO), Lise Fuhr, signed a memorandum of understanding at the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature in Paris. Founded in Brussels in 1992, ETNO is the main European federation representing employers and large companies in the European telecommunications sector. Officially recognised by the European institutions (European Commission, European Parliament and Council of the EU), ETNO, as part of European social dialogue, defends the interests of telecom operators via-à-vis the demands of trade unions. FEDE-ETNO cooperation aims to promote synergies between, on the one hand, educational institutions offering FEDE subject area N°3 (IT, Digital Tools and Technology) and, on the other hand, companies in [lire plus]

Geopa-Copa is the EU institution-recognised European federation representing the agriculture sector. On 21 October 2021, a memorandum of understanding was signed in Malmö, Sweden between the FEDE’s Chairwoman Claude Vivier Le Got and the President of Geopa-Copa Joseph Lechner. It aims to create synergies between agricultural companies and farms and FEDE institutions in our subject areas 10 (Environment, Natural Resources and Sustainable Development) and 11 (Nature, Agriculture and Farming). In particular, it will help to ensure a good match between the FEDE’s educational programmes and the skills needed in the agriculture sector. We spoke to Joseph Lechner, President of Geopa-Copa and a hops farmer based in Alsace. During the seminar in Malmö, you deplored the loss of 2 million employees in the agriculture sector since the beginning of the [lire plus]

The FEDE and the Pact for Skills for Europe’s agrifood ecosystem Following its joining of the European Commission’s Pact for Skills in March 2021, on 27 June 2022 the FEDE signed a joint position statement on the skills needed in the European agrifood ecosystem. The FEDE’s commitment in this area follows on from its signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Employers' Group of Professional Agricultural Organisations in the European Union (Geopa-Copa) in October 2021. The agrifood ecosystem is one of Europe’s largest job-generating sectors. In the EU, 11 million farms and 22,000 agrifood cooperatives provide jobs to 22 million people, and 289,000 food-processing companies provide jobs to 4.5 million people. At the same time, the agri-food industry has a growing need for highly qualified workers, such as [lire plus]

As of 22 July 2021, the FEDE is an official partner of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The special consultative status granted by ECOSOC’s Committee on NGOs will allow the FEDE to forge close ties with the world’s most important international organisation – a reference on social, economic and environmental issues. Everyone on the FEDE team is delighted at the exciting prospects this new partnership brings. Presentation of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Since its founding in 1945, the United Nations (UN) has worked actively with NGOs, recognising their importance in advancing the Organisation’s ideals and supporting its work. Article 71 of the UN Charter states that the Economic and Social Council may take all necessary steps to consult NGOs on subjects falling [lire plus]

Since 30 September 2020, the FEDE has been an official partner of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). The so-called ‘consultative’ status granted to our Federation will allow it to develop close relations with UNESCO – an international organisation and world reference in education. Everyone on the FEDE team is excited about the prospects that this new partnership will bring. About UNESCO In 1942, during the Second World War, some of the countries fighting against Nazi Germany and its allies met in the United Kingdom for the Conference of Allied Ministers of Education (CAME). Their aim was to find ways to reconstruct their education systems. The project soon took on an international dimension, and UNESCO was officially founded on 4 November 1946. UNESCO aims to secure [lire plus]