UNESCO statement 3

TO: Adult Education Organizations - Government Officials - Other Cooperating and Interested Individuals and NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) in CONFINTEA V

FROM: Alexander N. Charters, Coordinator, U. S. Participation (private sector) in CONFINTEA V

DATE: March 13, 1997

2. The response from United States Non-Government Organizations in Adult Education (NGOs) to CONFINTEA V and to UNESCO has been significant and encouraging. We have a fine list of requests for invitations from the private sector of the United States. It reflects the diversity of Adult Education in the United States. It is the result of the time and effort of many educators of adults and other interested persons. Copies of requests for invitations sent to Dr. Belanger from U. S. NGOs were sent to me. I have sent my list to Dr. Belanger. (See Attachment A) It is expected that each organization will receive an invitation from UNESCO in Paris. It is also expected that each organization will be invited to send two persons but it is not necessary for one of them to be the person signing the request. NGOs will have no obligation or responsibility. The U. S. Government has not been consulted on invitations.

Invitations to United States NGOs are sent separately by the Paris Office of UNESCO. UNESCO may also invite individual experts or consultants.

NGOs have a right to speak and otherwise participate in all activities of CONFINTEA but no right to vote. Apparently each member state of UNESCO has one vote but, of course, the United States is not a member and therefore has no vote. There are, however, many ways that the presence of the U. S. participants may be made.

3. I am informed that the Secretary of State of the United States is being officially invited to send a U. S. Observer Delegation which will be accredited by CONFINTEA V. Different from previous conferences, NGOs are also being invited independent of the Government.

As the Coordinator of U. S. Participation (private sector) I have been invited by Mr. Raymond Wanner to be a member of the U. S. Observer Delegation of CONFINTEA V. I will be a channel of communication and liaison between NGOs, the U. S. Government and other members of the delegation.

I thought that it would be an advantage to have a second member more active in the field of Adult Education and a member of an NGO attending the CONFINTEA. Mr. Wanner agreed to my request. This person is to be recommended to Dr. Ronald S. Pugsley for transmission to Mr. Wanner. I add that the delegation is appointed only for CONFINTEA V which ends through July 18, 1997.

If you concur I suggest that the second member be named by the invited participants from the U. S. (See Item 2) It does not seem practical to call a meeting to elect someone. Many of the invited NGOs to CONFINTEA may be at the meeting, (See Item 15) and so perhaps a brief session could be held at that time to designate a second member.

Do you have any other suggestions, e.g., mail, for another procedure? Please offer any names, comments and suggestions.

In items 9-15 ways are identified to assist in focusing on some of the issues and concerns that are on the agenda for the meetings in Hamburg.

4. Dr. Drew Allbritten has submitted to UNESCO (Dr. Belanger) the Guide for compilation of a questionnaire for the NGO sector. Actually he responded only for AAACE but it is important that there is a response submitted from the U.S.

Dr. Drew Allbritten
Executive Director
AAACE
1200 19th St., NW, Ste. 300
Washington, DC 20036

Dr. Stewart Tinsman had agreed to make a response to the Guide for the inter-government organizations. Dr. Tinsman has recently retired and so it is assumed that Ms. Betty Ward of his office is following through on this matter.

Betty Ward
International & Territorial Services
US Department of Education
600 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202

5. A meeting on participation in CONFINTEA V was called by Dr. Ronald S. Pugsley, Director of the Division of Adult Education and Literacy of the U. S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C. It was attended by government persons as well as by representatives of some NGOs. Dr. Raymond Wanner was also present and made some statements about the U. S. Observer Delegation to CONFINTEA V.

Dr. Raymond Wanner
Deputy Director
Bureau of International Organizations
Office of UN Tech. Spec. Agencies
Rm. 5336, Department of State
Washington, DC 20520

Dr. Ronald S. Pugsley
Director
Division of Adult Education and Literacy
U. S. Department of Education
Office of Vocational and Adult Education
600 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202
tel: 202-205-9720

6. As part of CONFINTEA V, UNESCO is holding a workshop to prepare a plan for future cooperation of Adult Education Documentation Centers. It has also called a preparatory brainstorming meeting for April 6-9, 1997 ion Hamburg. Some experts have been invited including Mr. Terrance Keenan, Adult and Continuing Education Research Collection (ACERC) Special Librarian at Syracuse University and Alexander N. Charters.

7. As part of the Fifth International Conference on Adult Education, Richard Connolly, a Professor in the Communication Media Arts Department at Rockland Community College of the State University of New York, is working with Paul Belanger of the UNESCO Institute for Education in developing a series of television broadcasts on topics and themes related to adult education and adult learning. At present, Connolly and Belanger are planning our teleconferences and several videotape programs. These programs will focus on the following: Adult Learning and the Crisis of Work, Democracy and Adult Learning, Adult Literacy and Human Centered Development, and Adult Learning and Empowerment of Women. These programs will be multicultural and multinational in nature and will approach adult education and adult learning from local, regional, national, international, and global perspectives.

8. It is expected that there will be follow-up information and activities from CONFINTEA V. Although the United States is not a member of UNESCO, it may be that UNESCO will invite the U. S. to participate in the follow-up activities. It may be that the U. S. government and invited NGOs at CONFINTEA V will be advised when arrangements have been made.

9. As Coordinator for the U. S. NGO participation in CONFINTEA V, it seems to me that now is the appropriate time to give more attention to the substance/context/issues of the CONFINTEA V.

CONFINTEA V is a learning opportunity for educators of adults; it is an opportunity for educators of adults to meet and share information and experiences with educators of adults in many countries to establish relationships for facilitation of follow-up activities after the CONFINTEA V.

10. From my previous experiences at UNESCO Conferences, the action on resolutions and other matters proceed at a rapid pace and therefore we should establish some channels of communicating at CONFINTEA.

One of the tasks at Hamburg is to gather information from the U. S. participants and transmit it to the other U. S. participants. It may be appropriate for the U. S. participants to meet briefly several times during the CONFINTEA V in Hamburg to identify any areas of consensus and perhaps articulate these responses at the appropriate meetings. It may be appropriate to designate persons from the private sector to gather information from a) round tables, b) plenary sessions, and c) working groups. These people could transmit information to all of the U. S. participants and to the U. S. Observer Delegation.

It would be appreciated if you would volunteer to be a member or to head up a group. Please let the Coordinator know that you would assist and in what ways and perhaps you would indicate an area of interest.

11. The International Council for Adult Education (ICAE) is assisting UNESCO in mobilizing participation by NGOs of some member nations of UNESCO.

Since the United States is not a member of UNESCO, the relationship between the United States' NGOs and CONFINTEA V is being arranged separately from ICAE or the U. S. Government. (See Item 3) ICAE is distributing considerable information to NGOs in some nations. It has been suggested that, for information purposes, ICAE send their materials and other information to the NGOs invited from the U. S. In discussing the matter, it was agreed that Dr. John Henschke will work with ICAE in making the arrangements. Dr. Henschke is currently President of the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE) and was the first AAACE to request an invitation to participate in CONFINTEA V. The materials will be sent by ICE without obligation or responsibility by either ICAE or the NGOs from the U. S. requesting invitations to CONFINTEA V.

Dr. John A. Henschke
President
Associate Professor of Education
Department of Educational Studies
269 Marillac Hall
University of Missouri
8001 Natural Bridge Road
St. Louis, MO 63121-4499
tel: 314-516-5944
fax: 314-516-5942

Raymond Des Rochers
ICAE
720 Bathurst St., Ste. 500
Toronto, Ont. M5S 2R4
CANADA

12. Dr. Raymond Pugsley and staff will be providing a report that focuses on issues and concerns that are on the agenda at CONFINTEA V. It will be distributed to Adult Education providers including the NGOs from the U. S. who are invited to CONFINTEA V in Hamburg.

13. In mid-May the Adult Education community will meet in Washington, D.C. to discuss the upcoming Fifth UNESCO International Conference on Adult Education in Hamburg, Germany. The Washington meeting will consist of individuals from the government, business, and education sectors. The meeting will review the draft declaration fro the Hamburg meeting and a background document looking at the U. S. Adult Education experience., These reviews will include discussions of the critical elements of the draft document as well as issues raised in the background document. The NGO invitees to CONFINTEA V will be invited to the Washington meeting. For more information contact:

Richard Long
U. S. Coalition for Education for All
444 N. Capital Street, Ste. 422
Washington, DC 20001
tel: 202-624-8800
fax: 202-624-8826

14. The Coordinator and Dr. Ronald Pugsley attended one of 5 regional conferences in Barcelona in December 1996. It was to discuss the issues that will be on the agenda for Hamburg. Attached is a document to which you may respond as you wish. Please send me a copy of your response, if any, for information only. (See Attachment B)

15. I expect to receive by Air Express an early copy of the Recommendations and a copy of the Agenda for Future Plans of Action that was drafted by a Committee that met in Denmark a few weeks ago. It will be submitted to CONFINTEA V for action. The document is sent to you for your suggestions and comments. Your response should be sent to Dr. Paul Belanger. It would be appreciated if you would send a copy of your response, if any, to me either by fax or mail. (See Item 16)

16. During the past several months, the Coordinator has been communicating with over 100 organizations and individuals. It is now decided to continue communicating with only those Adult Education organizations who have requested an invitation from UNESCO to CONFINTEA V. Some other interested persons will remain on the list. However, if you wish to remain on the list, please let me know via FAX or U. S. mail.

Alexander N. Charters
216 Lockwood Road
Syracuse, NY 13214-2035 USA
tel: 315-446-2629
fax: 315-443-5732

17. Thanks are expressed to Dr. Scott Shablak , Director of the Office of Professional Development at Syracuse University who is providing substantial supportive services.

18. I repeat that Dr. Belanger is very cooperative and cordial. He is spending much time and effort in facilitating UNESCO participation from the United States. Likewise there seems to be much encouragement from UNESCO to the United States government to participate. I keep reminding myself that UNESCO is working with over 170 member nations and the United States is not one of them and so we are particularly appreciative of his interest.