FIFTH UNESCO INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ADULT EDUCATION (CONFINTEA)
THEME: Adult Learning: A Key to the Future
Hamburg, Germany 1997, July 14-18
Memorandum V
TO: U. S. Adult Education Organizations (NGOs) invited to CONFINTEA V - Government Officials - and Other Interested Individuals
FROM: Alexander N. Charters, Coordinator, U. S. Participation (private sector) in CONFINTEA V
DATE: June 9, 1997
1. Your organization for which you requested an invitation to CONFINTEA V has now received an invitation. Your organization may have 2 participants in CONFINTEA V. You should send, as soon as possible, the names of the 2 participants, including the name of the organization, address, telephone and fax of each participant, to Dr. Paul Belanger and a copy to me. Each NGO and the names of the two participants will be on the list of names, addresses, fax and telephone numbers. The list is being made by the Coordinator from the information sent to Dr. Belanger. Please make certain that the names and any later changes are sent to Dr. Belanger and a copy to Dr. Charters. The incomplete list of participants is attached. (See attachment C) Another list will be sent to you.
Dr. Paul Belanger
Director
UNESCO Institute for Education
Feldbrunnenstrasse 58
20148 Hamburg
Germany
tel: 49 40 448041-15
fax: 49 40 4107733
Dr. Alexander N. Charters
216 Lockwood Road
Syracuse, NY 13214-2035 USA
tel: 315-446-2629
fax: 315-443-5732
world wide web: http://web.syr.edu/~ancharte
2. The U. S. Observer Delegation to CONFINTEA V is being formed. The delegation will be led by Dr. Patricia McNeil, Assistant Secretary, Office for Vocational and Adult Education. I have been invited as a member of the Delegation. The list of members will be sent to you.
3. The following is a report on a CONFINTEA V meeting attended by U. S. educators of Adults held in Washington May 22nd. It was prepared by Ms. Catherine Wolters who will attend CONFINTEA V as a participant from the Ohio Association for Adult and Continuing Education.
Twenty-five USA NGOs and USA government officials came together on May 22 in our nation's capitol in order to further preparations for CONFINTEA V in Hamburg, Germany during July 1997.
This group was convened by Richard Long at the Hall of States. It was chaired by Dr. Judith Kolowski, COLLO. Dr. Ronald Pugsley, United States Department of Education, issued the invitations. Dr. Alexander Charters, Coordinator of U. S. Participant (private sector) to CONFINTEA V, spoke at the assembly.
Matters raised for consideration included: clarification of issues, U. S. and World perspectives on Adult Education, global and regional planning reports, and conference scheduling.
Out of the conference emerged a unifying voice leading to shared learning. The U. S. contingency is united in agreement to meet together on July 13 at 8 p.m. and also at daily breakfast review sessions during CONFINTEA V.
Future impact was explained and several U. S. participants expressed proposals for future U. S. promotional activities.
Materials distributed at the meeting are being sent to you.
4. Participants from NGOs should obtain the materials for CONFINTEA V from the person in your NGO who received the materials from me and others. (See item 8 in Memo IV. The materials are on web http://web.syr.edu/~ancharte.
Any materials available at CONFINTEA V in Hamburg will be in the name of each NGO from the U. S.
5. The Final Draft Agenda of the Future of Adult Learning has been received. (See attachment B)
6. I have asked Dr. John Henschke to gather brief reports on the various sessions of CONFINTEA V and to write a report on the U. S. participation of NGOs (private sector) at CONFINTEA V. He will be writing to you.
It seems appropriate that we should also develop some plans for follow-up of the Recommendations and Agenda for the Future of Adult Learning. Please think about it and we will have it on our agenda at 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
7. You are reminded of our scheduled meetings on Sunday at 8:00 p.m. and each morning from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. It will be a combined meeting of the U. S. participants from the NGOs who have been invited and the members of the U. S. Observer Delegation. The meetings should provide an opportunity for all of the U. S. participants to get acquainted with each other and to hear reports from the various meetings. We can cancel the meetings or shorten them as appropriate.
The meetings will probably be at the Congress Hotel. The location will be sent to you later.
8. Dr. Raymond Wanner has told me that Mr. William McIlhenny of the permanent U. S. delegation to UNESCO in Paris will be attending CONFINTEA V. He said that Mr. McIlhenny is well informed about the political scene. I have requested that he attend the Sunday meeting at 8:00 p.m. to brief us.
Mr. William McIlhenny
U. S. Observer to UNESCO
United States Embassy
#2 Ave. Gabriel
75008 Paris
France
tel: 33-1-43122029
fax: 33-1-42669783
Dr. Raymond Wanner
Room 5336, Department of State
Washington, DC 20520
tel: 202-647-2752
fax: 202-647-8902
9. We are informed by the U. S. Observer Delegation that there will be some space available for a U. S. exhibit at CONFINTEA V. The use of this space will be planned by Mr. George Spicely. It will include exhibits provided by the U. S. Observer Delegates and by NGOs.
Mr. Spicely has written the following:
On the materials for display, etc.: We are asking that organizations and agencies send to us (if we are to facilitate their shipment) copies of no more than two (2) items that portray their organizational work and their focus on the Conference themes. Because these will be sample copies only for display, here is what we can handle:
-- For single sheet copies of folded, single-sheet brochures, 50 copies.
-- For small booklets or publications of up to 25 pages approximately, 25 copies.
-- For larger publications, 10 copies.
The key for the exhibit/display is to have organizations prepare sign-up sheets for requests for further information or materials.
Send materials by June 16 to:
Mr. George Spicely
Division of Adult Education and Literacy
U. S. Department of Education
Switzer Building, Room 4413
330 C Street, SW
Washington, DC 20202
tel: 202-205-9720
fax: 202-205-8973
Please communicate directly with him.
We are not aware of other space or channels for distribution of materials. There will be opportunities for participants to share information and to discuss matters with other participants. You may wish to bring materials for your private distribution. Some participants may establish channels for communication after CONFINTEA V.
A list of the members of the U. S. Observer Delegation and participants from U. S. NGOs will also be available at the exhibit.
10. Dr. Richard Connolly is working for UNESCO and collaborating with CONFINTEA V as follows:
Work is progressing on the Public Roundtable Television Programs for the UNESCO Conference in Hamburg. "Adult Education and the Rebirth of Industrial Cities" is a collaboration with PBS, WTH5, Channel 56 in Detroit; "Literacy and Human Development" Center is a collaboration with India National Television in Delhi. These two programs will be broadcast live on July 16th and will be rebroadcast in edited versions in the future. A third program on "Adult Education and the Empowerment of Women" will feature extensive video segments on the four regions of the world. Richard Connolly of Circumstantial Productions in New York and Paul Belanger of UEI will be working on the specific content of these programs between June 13 and 19, 1997 in Hamburg.
11. For me it was indeed an unfortunate decision made by the U. S. to drop out of UNESCO (December 31, 1984). Since then I have tried to be positive. I have not apologized for the U. S. decision and I have not held UNESCO in disrepute. I have worked, albeit in a small way, to have the U. S. re-enter UNESCO. Now we, as educators of adults, move forward with a positive attitude to active participation in the CONFINTEA V. As I stated before, it should be a learning opportunity for each of us and there will be opportunities to contribute. It will be an occasion to renew associations and to meet other participants engaged in adult education in other countries.
I do not see any need to raise the issue of U. S. status in UNESCO at CONFINTEA V. We are free and encouraged to participate in all aspects of the program. The only time we are not able to participate will be on a member role call vote. In such a case, the head of our delegation will not vote.
12. I understand that June 1st is the deadline for items to be included in the final program of CONFINTEA V. You should plan on receiving it when you arrive in Hamburg. I may be able to send you a copy if I receive it in advance.
13. Please note the following as an addition to Attachment A, Memo IV:
Dr. Thomas D. Phelan
President
Central New York Coalition for Adult and Continuing Education (CNY/CACE)
300 Erie Blvd. West, A-1
Syracuse, NY 13202
tel: 315-428-6919
fax: 315-460-8928
14. The task of spreading the word about UNESCO is important at the national and international levels. I thought you might be interested in some stories in the Syracuse Newspapers. One article for which I was interviewed refers to my role as an expert on documentation in adult education. (See attachment A)
It is great that the UN and UNESCO are mentioned in a positive manner. Please spread the word on UNESCO to the members of your organization and to other individuals and organizations.
15. United National Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) came into existence November 4, 1946. Twenty member states ratified its constitution. Public Law 506 adopted by the 79th Congress on July 30, 1946 authorized the U. S. membership. The U. S. withdrew from UNESCO December 31, 1984.
Article I of that constitution states clearly UNESCO's purpose: "to contribute to peace and security by promoting collaboration among nations through education, science and culture, in order to further universal respect for justice, for the rule of law and for the human rights and fundamental freedoms which are affirmed for the peoples of the world without distinction of race, sex, language or religion, by the Charter of the United Nations.
UNESCO is one of the specialized agencies for international collaboration and like the others, it is not some super-natural controlling body, but a voluntary association of the sovereign nations
that belong to it. Each of UNESCO's member states has a voice and a vote and no one nation or bloc controls it." (From: Notes for a speech)
16. Hope and Folly is an interesting and informative book about UNESCO. You may wish to read it before CONFINTEA V.
Hope and Folly. The United States and UNESCO, 1945-85. William Preston, Jr., Edward S. Herman and Herbert V. Schiller. Institute for Media Analysis, Inc., University of Minnesota Press.
17. It has been reported that the United Kingdom is to re-enter UNESCO in July 1997. The United States and Singapore who resigned about the same time as the United Kingdom have not re-entered.
18. Address of Margaret and Alexander N. Charters
216 Lockwood Road or 355 Lieutenant Island Road
Syracuse, NY 13214-2035 USA Box 755
tel: 315-446-2629 South Wellfleet, MA 02663-0755 USA
tel: 508-349-3539
(June 22 - July 3, 1997)
Alexander N. Charters
fax: 315-443-5732
world wide web: http://web.syr.edu/~ancharte (Alexander N. Charters)
Margaret Charters
fax: 315-443-2562
e-mail: charters@syr.edu
We are usually home in the early morning and around dinner time.
If you are not able to reach us, come to the Atlantic Ocean at Cape Cod--when you get to the white sand beach, turn right or left or go ahead. Do not turn back!
Hamburg
Hotel Vorbach
Johnsallee 63-67
D-20146 Hamburg
tel: (49-40) 44 18 2-0
fax: (49-40) 44 18 28 88
19. Please let me know if there are any corrections.
Please let me know if you wish additional information.
Thank you for your assistance and cooperation. CONFINTEA V should be a learning and challenging event.