On June 23-24, 2009, DVV International organized the “Conference on Financing Adult Education for Development” in Bonn, Germany with the support of ASPBAE, the International Council for Adult Education (ICAE), and the European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA).
The conference brought together key representatives, decision makers and practitioners in adult education and lifelong learning with representatives of donor agencies, ministries and foundations.
The objectives for the event were:
- To reflect on the impact of recent development policies and financing mechanisms to strengthen youth and adult learning in the South
- To discuss the challenges development policy is facing and to identify the role and needs of adult and lifelong learning in this context
- To share best adult learning practices and experiences in development action and programmes
- To create a possibility for networking between actors in adult education and major donor agencies.
Asia Pacific representation in the Conference was strong: The ASPBAE delegation was led by ASPBAE President, J Roberto Guevara with Dominique D'Souza and Maria Khan from the ASPBAE EC. ASPBAE staff Bernie Lovegrove, Raquel del Castillo, Rene Raya and Tanvir Muntasim Mohammad also participated. Three other ASPBAE members who are DVV partners also attended: Malini Ghose of Nirantar (India); Rajesh Tandon of PRIA (India) and Bashir Khaliqui of the Afghan National Assoc. for AE (ANAFAE). Gigi Francisco of DAWN (based in the Phil.) represented the Gender and Education Office of ICAE.
The Asia participants to the Conference provided strong inputs in the debates and deliberations, playing key resource person and plenary speaking roles. The presentations from ASPBAE will form part of the Conference proceedings which DVV hopes to publish on time for CONFINTEA 6.
The Deputy Ministers of Education from Afghanistan and Laos also participated in this event. The Conference provided a space for dialogue between these Ministers and the representative of the EFA Fast Track Initiative (FTI) Secretariat on the spaces within the FTI to secure resources for adult literacy and adult education priorities of these governments in their education sector plans funded through the FTI.
The Conference participants agreed on a Bonn Declaration on Financing Adult Education for Development which highlights key advocacies on adult education financing debated within the Conference.
This Conference was also an occasion to commemorate and celebrate 40 years of cooperation between the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), dvv international and its partners in Asia, Africa and Latin America in promoting adult education globally
International Conference On Financing Adult Education For Development, Bonn, 23 – 24 June 2009
