The Federation for EDucation in Europe/Fédération Européenne des Ecoles (FEDE) is an international non-governmental organisation (INGO) with participatory status at the Council of Europe – an organisation with 47 Member States representing over 800 million citizens. In particular, the FEDE is a member of the Conference of INGOs, which represents and reflects civil society at the Council of Europe.
As the leading organisation for the protection of human rights in Europe, the Council of Europe guarantees the rule of law, political stability and the promotion of European cultural identity in all its diversity.
As an INGO, the FEDE plays an active role at the Council of Europe. The ‘participatory status’ accorded to INGOS by the Council of Europe is rare and special: of all today’s international organisations, only the Council of Europe officially recognises leading INGOs in this way, allowing them to have a concrete influence on the content of official Council of Europe documents. Participatory status is therefore very different from ‘consultative’ or ‘observer’ status.
“We place the basic values of the Council of Europe at the heart of our Federation’s work. All of our research, our teaching material, our varied activities and our educational programmes centre around citizenship, democracy and human rights. Understanding the role of the Council of Europe enables us to build ambitious plans for future democracies and to communicate inspiring values so as to nurture a new generation of European citizens – and, more broadly, citizens of the world – who are attuned to international issues and can act as world ambassadors for progressive ideals.”
Claude Vivier Le Got, Chairwoman of the FEDE and Chairwoman of the Education and Culture Committee of the Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe